It Is You I Had Loved
by WickedHobbitoftheWest
Summary: A Frodo and OC romance.This story takes place before, during, and after the War of the Ring. Meet Hazel Underhill who hates our beloved Frodo Baggins and he in turn hates her. But when Frodo returns to Buckland will this relationship between them change..
1. At the Beginning

D/N: I don't own anything, none of the characters or places in LOTR or any of the song lyrics or titles that I am going to put on here.  
  
Author's note: Hello everyone and welcome to my first romantic fanfic. Actually I was inspired to write one after reading a really good one called "Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady" by Lady of Ithilien. This fic of mine will be taking place in two parts one before the four hobbits leave for their quest to destroy the Ring and afterwards. I may even add some chapters in between (you may never know). Anyways this is not a Mary Sue, but I hope an extremely cute romantic story. I am not going to try to be extremely accurate with the book as far as ages go and who is related to who because it is just too confusing and takes up too much time. So whenever I refer to relatives don't expect for their relationship to a hobbit to be totally accurate. Oh and another thing the chapter titles will be named after song titles or parts of the song in the beginning as well. Why I thought it was just a cute idea, and because I felt like it. I accept flamers and any ideas that ya'll might have for me. Hope you enjoy!  
  
It Is You I Have Loved  
  
Ch. 1 At the Beginning "We were strangers starting out on a journey, never dreaming what we had to go through, now here we are and I'm suddenly standing at the beginning with you..."  
  
Mr. John Longfellow stood at the gate of Buckland breathing in the fresh night air. He smoked his pipe as he counted the stars having nothing better to do. Suddenly a woman's cry rang out from the road. Mr. Longfellow immediately got up from his chair and looked around holding up a lantern. There was no one on the road, but soon he heard the soft clopping of hooves and the rumble of cart wheels on the dirt road. A small wooden cart came driving up towards him.  
  
"Who goes there?" asked the watchman as he held his lantern higher so he could see the driver's face.  
  
"Pardon me, sir, my name is Bellow Underhill and." answered the hobbit, but he was interrupted by another cry of pain from whoever it was inside the cart.  
  
"I say what do you have in there?" asked Mr. Longfellow.  
  
"Please, sir it's my wife, sir, she is in labor and about to have her third baby in a minute. Can we go through?" Mr. Underhill's face was desperate as he looked over his shoulder to look at his wife in the cart.  
  
Mr. Longfellow sighed and said, "Go ahead. Do you know where you are staying at?"  
  
"No I am afraid not, sir. You see we are moving into Buckland from Bree, and I don't know anyone here. Could you tell me if there is a medic nearby?"  
  
"Yes, but Dr. Burrows is not here at the moment he had a family emergency back in Hobbiton."  
  
Mr. Underhill sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he looked back at his wife. "Is there anyone who can help her here in Buckland?"  
  
"Well, there are the ladies of Buckland here, and I am sure they would be more than happy to assist you and your wife, but unfortunately the Master of Buckland is holding a party in Brandy Hall. I believe that everyone is there at the moment. I could take you there if you wish."  
  
"Oh yes please, here you could drive the pony", said Mr. Underhill as he scooted over to make room for Mr. Longfellow. Mr. Longfellow climbed on the cart and led the pony off to Brandy Hall. He took a quick glance to see Mrs. Underhill laying on a bunch of cushions surrounded by her two other daughters. One was holding a cloth and she wiped away the sweat from her mother's forehead. The other was fast asleep.  
  
The sound of merry-making and laughter met their ears as they saw the warm light coming from Brandy Hall. There was a small group of women talking in front of the Hall. They all turned to meet the cart with curious eyes.  
  
"It's all right Petunia, just breath, we are almost there", cooed Mr. Underhill. Mrs. Underhill nodded bravely. Mr. Longfellow stopped the cart and directed Mr. Underhill to help her out.  
  
"Mr. Longfellow what is going on?" asked a young hobbit woman as she came up to him.  
  
"Please Lady Esmeralda, you must give hospitality to these good people she is about to give light!" Mr. Longfellow helped Mrs. Underhill onto her feet. Mr. Underhill directed his older daughter to wake the younger one up and to step off the cart.  
  
"Oh my, come on dear please follow me", said Esmeralda as she took Mrs. Underhill's hand. "Primula, tell Saradoc of what has happened", she directed to another hobbit woman. She nodded and hurried off. "Eglantine, help me take this good lady to the guest room in the Eastern Hallway, that's a good dear".  
  
The rest of the hobbit women who had been present went off ahead of them to prepare all that was necessary. Mr. Longfellow led Mr. Underhill inside along with his two daughters. One looked to be about 7 years old while the other appeared to be around two or three years of age. Entering the Hall, Mr. Longfellow told an attendant to take care of the daughters and to offer them food, while he took Mr. Underhill to the Master of the Hall. Halfway to the Main Hall, they were met by Saradoc Brandybuck accompanied by other hobbits. Mr. Longfellow introduced Mr. Underhill to the others. Along with Mr. Brandybuck were Mr. Drogo Baggins and Mr. Paladin Took.  
  
Mr. Underhill sat down with them in a sitting room outside the guest room where his wife was situated. All of the gentle hobbits' children had now joined them. Mr. Underhill had gotten to know very well these kind people, but he was nervous for his wife. He sat there twiddling his thumbs.  
  
"You would think that after two other successful births you would feel at ease, but no you are always worried. I know I was running around everywhere when little Frodo here was born. I couldn't sit still." Drogo said as he patted the little blue-eyed curly haired boy on his lap.  
  
"How old is your Frodo, Drogo?" asked Mr. Underhill as he tried to take his mind off his wife and new child.  
  
"Young Frodo, here is two years old", answered Drogo as he set Frodo down on the floor and looked at him lovingly.  
  
"He has the most beautiful eyes", observed Mr. Underhill.  
  
"Oh yes, gets that from this mother, Primula, but he gets his curly dark brown hair from me." Drogo smiled at his son lovingly.  
  
"How about your child, Paladin?" asked Mr. Underhill.  
  
"Oh young Peregrin is not my only child I have three others, but he is one year old. Two of my children are older. Pimpernel, and Pervinca, they are twins they are five years older. Then there is young Pearl who is only seven months old."  
  
"How wonderful, I am sure you must be a very happy family. What about you Saradoc?"  
  
"Meriadoc is my only one and he is a year old too like his cousin. Except I believe Meriadoc is older by two months." Saradoc held the little boy's hands as he stood up and then sat down again.  
  
"My oldest daughter, Priscilla, is 7 years old and my second youngest, Daniella, is two years old."  
  
All the fathers nodded thoughtfully. The grandfather clock ticked on as Mr. Underhill continued to worry about what was happening on the other side of the door.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Hours later.  
  
Primula Baggins stepped out from the guest room. The clock chimed midnight and all the hobbits were up on there feet. Primula's eyes were red with lack of sleep, but her smile was warm and cheery. "Congratulations, Mr. Underhill".  
  
Mr. Underhill took a step forward his eyes hopeful. "You have a new beautiful bouncing baby girl!" Mr. Underhill gave a cry of joy as he and the other hobbits clapped each other on the back.  
  
"May I see her?" he asked.  
  
Mrs. Baggins nodded and opened the door for him. He quickly went inside. The other hobbits followed but at a respectable distance. Mr. Underhill found his beautiful wife lying in a large bed holding in her arms a bundle. He approached his eyes letting go tears of joy run down his cheeks.  
  
"Petunia."  
  
"Hello, Bellow, say hello to your new daughter" answered Petunia. She held up her daughter to show to him. He took the bundle in his arms carefully. Wrapped up in so many folds of clothes was a tiny little figure. The little baby squirmed a bit and her little hand reached out and found her father's shirt. She grabbed a hold and Bellow smiled. He held his daughter close and rocked her in his arms. He gave her back to her mother, who took her and rocked her as well.  
  
"What name are you going to give to her?" asked Esmeralda Brandybuck.  
  
"I don't know", sighed Bellow. He looked back to see that everyone else had come into the room. They held their children in their arms. Mrs. Baggins took Frodo in her arms and took him to the bedside.  
  
"What color of eyes does she have, can you tell?" she asked. Petunia shook her head. Young Frodo, in Primula's arms, whined as he stretched out toward Mrs. Underhill and their new member of the family. Mrs. Baggins looked on in wonder as she saw that the baby girl held out her hands too, making a grabbing gesture. All of the women's eyes lit up as they watched the two baby's stretch for each other's hands. Frodo cried out again as he continued to strain for the girl's hands. Finally Primula took one step forward and then for a split second Frodo's tiny hands grabbed a hold of the young girl's smaller hands. Mrs. Underhill looked on in wonder and she saw the smile cross Frodo's face.  
  
"Oh, it's destiny!" exclaimed Mrs. Brandybuck. Eglantine Took looked at her as she held Peregrin close to her. "What do you mean?" Esmeralda turned to her and said beaming, "It is destiny, they are meant to be together. I have read about these incidences."  
  
As soon as those words left her lips, the little baby girl frowned. She began to wriggle and then thump! "WAAAAAAAAAH"! The little child had managed to untangle her leg from the clothes and had kicked Frodo square on the nose. Frodo of course let go of his grip on her hand and let out a wail. Primula began to soothe him and bounce him up and down the way mother's do to keep him from crying. But then the little girl started to cry as well and then before anyone could stop them, Meriadoc and Peregrin were wailing as well.  
  
"Destiny, huh?" asked Mrs. Took as she tried to console a wailing Peregrin.  
  
"Well." answered Mrs. Brandybuck uncertainly as she took Meriadoc and patted him on the head gently, "it still could be."  
Ok, I thought that that was a cute beginning but then again, that is just me. Please review. 


	2. Complicated

D/N: I don't own anything!  
  
Author's Note: I am very well aware about the difference between the ages of the hobbits between the ones in my fanfic and in The Lord of the Rings. But that is the beauty of fanfics. Thank you for everyone who reviewed my fanfic. Thank you I really appreciate it and I am glad that you like it. Hehe hobbits rule!  
  
It Is You I Have Loved  
  
Ch. 2 Complicated  
  
"Why do you always got make things so complicated."  
  
To: the good Masters of Bag End, Masters Bilbo and Frodo Baggins:  
  
I send to you an invitation on the behalf of my youngest daughter, Hazela Underhill, whom I am sure you remember. My young daughter has just recently turned 21 years of age, and as everyone knows it is at that age that a young hobbit girl grows to be a young hobbit lady. So in the tradition that our family has held while we lived in the town of Bree, we have decided to hold a party for our daughter. It will be held a week from her birthday, December 6th on the banks of the Brandywine River, close to Brandy Hall. The celebration will begin at five o' clock in the evening and will endure till ten o' clock. Please take into consideration this invitation and we do all hope that you and young Frodo will be able to make it.  
  
Sincerely,  
The Underhill family  
Bellow Underhill, Petunia Underhill, Priscilla Burrows, Daniella Underhill and Hazela Underhill  
  
Bilbo Baggins looked up from the invitation with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Well Frodo, what do you think of that, eh? Your old friend has invited you to her 21st birthday party."  
  
Frodo merely rolled his eyes. They were sitting by the fire, with each of them having an opened book on their lap. Bilbo was smoking his pipe softly and he smiled and handed Frodo the invitation. Frodo took it and made a movement to throw it into the fireplace, but then stopped by the look on Bilbo's face.  
  
"Oh come on Bilbo, I was only joking", said Frodo as he held up the card so that he could read it. He looked at the letter and handed it back to Bilbo, shaking his head.  
  
"No, Bilbo, I do not intend to go", he said.  
  
"Oh? And why ever not? This sounds like tons of fun! Besides you will get to see all your old friends. And it will give you an excuse to return to Buckland and spend some time with your cousins, Merry and Pippin. And meet some pretty hobbit lasses."  
  
Frodo just shook his head. "Nah, I don't wish to go it will only bring back bad memories and I know for sure that Hazel won't want me to go to her party."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"Because she hates me and I hate her that is all I remember of our childhood together. We absolutely couldn't stand one another to the point that whenever one of us would walk into a room, we would both immediately leave to go somewhere else in order for us not to be together. We played so many mean pranks on each other, and even one day I remember that we got into a fight and I ended up with a cut lip and a black eye. And she received a bruise on her cheek and on her arm. So you see it is better that I don't attend."  
  
"But Frodo that was over ten years ago, you have changed drastically, and I am sure that she has too. And come on look at me in the eyes and tell me that you are not curious about how she must look since the last time you laid eyes on her."  
  
Frodo looked at Bilbo in the eyes and repeated, "I don't want to go."  
  
Bilbo sighed and then looked up at Frodo sternly saying, "You are going to attend that party whether you like it or not. I am interested in this Underhill family; I hear they are very wealthy after they built that inn, down in Buckland. Supposedly they brew the best beer in the whole Shire."  
  
"Well they might brew the best beer, but that makes no difference to me, that party is only for her to court other young hobbits and I know that my aunt Esmeralda will somehow find a way for me to get together with Hazel."  
  
"I don't care, Frodo you are going to that party whether you like it or not it is the courteous thing to do and besides we aren't doing anything on that date. And your aunt has invited us to spend the Christmas holidays with her and her family in Brandy Hall. So now I want you to go down to the market and buy the birthday girl a nice present." Bilbo placed on his spectacles and began to stack together his papers.  
  
Frodo just stood there amazed. "This is totally unfair, he thought, "I don't want to go to her party where I know one way or another she will manage to find a way to humiliate me! And besides knowing my aunt Esmeralda and her crackpot theory she will find a way to get Hazel and me alone. Ugh, and I was suppose to meet Sam today."  
  
"But Bilbo, I have to go meet Sam", said Frodo out loud.  
  
Bilbo looked at Frodo from over his spectacles and answered, "Please, Frodo don't try to talk your way out of it, just take him along with you."  
  
"But I don't know what to buy for her, and I am certainly not going in to buy her a dress! I refuse to take one step into that store. Angelica and her friends will be swarming all over me! Like they did last time and Sam had to literally push them away from me so that I could leave the store."  
  
Bilbo chuckled. He was going around the room trying to find a book of some kind no doubt and all the while he said, "I don't expect you to buy her a dress. Go to someone for advice, I know Rosie go to Rosie Cotton at the Green Dragon inn for advice on what to give her." Then Bilbo turned to Frodo and handed him a small leather pouch filled with coins.  
"There you go that should be enough, now on with you".  
  
Scowling and grumbling to himself Frodo stomped out of Bag End. He couldn't believe what bad luck had fallen upon him. Surely Bilbo didn't expect him to actually enjoy his time in Buckland? The main reason why he hadn't visited lately was because he knew that sooner or later he would encounter Hazel the Harpy. That was what he used to call her. She came up with her own name for him too, Frodo the Dodo, of course they were only around the ages of eight and nine at the time. But still.  
  
Frodo reached number four Bagshot Row and knocked on the door. Mrs. Gamgee answered.  
"Why, good afternoon, Frodo, what can I help you with today?"  
  
"Good afternoon Mrs. Gamgee, I was wondering if Sam was home."  
  
"Yes Samwise is home, let me call him, wait just a moment Frodo dear." She went inside and Frodo could hear her call out Sam's name. Sam appeared shortly at the door. It was obvious that he had been helping his father with some work outside, for his brow was sweaty and he looked tired. After saying good-bye to Mrs. Gamgee they were off heading towards Bywater.  
  
"So you see Sam I can't stand the girl or anything that might have to do with her. Besides I don't wish to go back there only to hear her complain about how dirty I look or how stupid and clumsy I am." Frodo made an agitated "grr" sound. Sam only smiled and said sarcastically, "She sounds absolutely horrible. Imagine the nerve of her telling the truth."  
  
Frodo shot him a deadly look. "It's not my fault Uncle Bilbo never taught me how to dance properly, and besides who says I am going to dance with her?"  
  
By this time they had reached Bywater and were on their way inside the Green Dragon inn. There they sat down at a small table and asked for a couple of beers. Before long Hazel and her present was out of Frodo's mind and he was deep in a conversation with Sam about elves and their ways. Then an old friend of theirs came up and began to speak to them, Alastor Busibody.  
  
"Hello Frodo, Sam pleasure seeing you. Haven't seen you in a while here in the Green Dragon." Alastor was just Frodo's age and had been one of his good friends whom he had known in Buckland and had come to live in Bywater.  
  
"Yes, far too long good friend. But unfortunately I am not here for pure enjoyment I have been sent here seeking advice."  
  
"Advice, advice for what?" Alastor questioned.  
  
"Frodo has been invited to Hazela Underhill's 21st birthday back in Buckland. And now he must go seek a present for her." Sam chuckled at this as he took another swig of his beer. Alastor's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Hazela? As in Hazel the Harpy?"  
  
"The very same unfortunately", mumbled Frodo rolling his eyes.  
  
Alastor began to laugh and clapped Frodo on the back in good humor. "What a coincidence dear Frodo, because it just so happens that I have been invited as well."  
  
Frodo's state of mood immediately jumped to a higher level when he heard this good news. "You? Of all people she invited you? Why you and I were a team against her. How it enlightens my heart to know that I will have my old partner in crime with me again."  
  
"Yes and together we will join forces and defeat every attack from her that comes our way!" cried Alastor with glee.  
  
"Now boys who on Middle-Earth are you talking about? You are making her sound like some evil dragon", said a voice behind them.  
  
Sam's ears turned pink for he recognized that sweet voice to be that of Rosie Cotton the girl that he had a crush on. She was on her break from working behind the bar and holding a tray of mugs. She set the tray down and passed the mugs to each hobbit lad, greeting them as she passed the mug to its owner. When it was Sam's turn she flashed him a pearly white smile and his ears turned pinker than ever. Frodo smiled at this, he knew Sam's secret even though it wouldn't have been that difficult for him to have solved it by himself.  
  
"Believe me Lady Rose," said Alastor (he liked to use formal names around the lasses) "if you only knew this girl you would say that we were being too nice with her for calling her such a name."  
  
"Oh really?" Rosie propped her elbows on the table and held her chin in her hands.  
  
"Yes, in fact I remember the very first thing she did to us", said Frodo sitting back in his table.  
  
"Ah, yes the snowman incident", recalled Alastor.  
  
Before Rosie and Sam knew it Frodo and Alastor began to speak about all the various pranks that they had done to her and that she had done to them.  
  
"So during the winter she made this snowman and as a good joke we destroyed it. She was so upset in fact that she almost broke out in tears. Later on she made another one and we destroyed that one as well. It was all good fun until she got the better of us. She got two rocks piled on top of one another, don't ask me how she managed it, but she did. Then she covered the rocks with snow making it look like it was another ordinary snowman. Of course we didn't know this and when we began to play our little joke we ended up with bandaged hands and feet." Frodo sighed and rolled his eyes. Rosie and Sam looked at each other and broke out laughing.  
  
"Well, at least we knew then that she had a brain", said Alastor.  
  
"Oh come now she was only doing what any ordinary well-to-do hobbit would do. Seek revenge." Rosie smiled at this.  
  
"Well you see Rosie I need for you to do me a favor, I need advice in choosing a birthday present for her," said Frodo.  
  
"Well, can you describe her physically? And maybe personality wise and the sort of things she used to like to do when she was a young girl?"  
  
"Certainly, let me put it this way. Hazel was girly enough to like to play dolls, wear dresses, "fix" her hair, have tea parties, and flirt with the boys. But she wasn't girly enough to keep from mud wrestling, punching, swimming, climbing trees, and picking up snakes and the like. She had a fiery personality and didn't like to be told what to do. She always spoke what was on her mind. Physically, she had long black hair and big hazel eyes, hence why her parents called her Hazela. She wasn't stout or skinny and if I remember correctly she was about as tall as I was when I came here."  
  
"Was she pretty?"  
  
"Not sure, you see when you are little you don't think of your arch- enemy as pretty or not, so I can't answer that."  
  
Rosie began to think, Frodo noticed Sam looking at her with intense wonder and admiration.  
  
"But be sure Rosie I don't wish to buy her a very expensive gift, I refuse to spend a lot of money on that ungrateful little."  
  
"Well, Frodo I suggest that what you should do is that you should try to have your relationship start off brand new. When you meet her act like you have never really gotten well aquainted and start over again. Alastor should do the same. It sounds to me that you could have been great friends if it would not have been for your childish mischievious natures."  
  
"Fine, Rosie I will take your advice," answered Frodo looking at Alastor. Alastor smiled.  
  
"Hmm, I got it how about a diary..." 


	3. You're the Devil in Disguise

D/N: I don't own anything  
  
Author's Note: Thank you for all that have reviewed. I am glad that you all like my story so far. Ok on this part I am going to do something a little different. I was thinking about it and I immediately thought of how this could be like if it became a movie (yeah I wish) so at first it starts off with Hazel writing in her diary so the story starts off in first person but then after you see the little * ~ things then it becomes second person and Hazel is no longer literally telling the story but you see things happen as it happens to her. I don't know why I chose to type this way but hey. Oh and by the way make sure you get something to eat or drink cuz this chapter is going to be a long one.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 3 You're the Devil in Disguise  
  
"You look like an angel, walk like an angel, talk like an angel, but I got wise you're the devil in disguise oh yes you are the devil in disguise."  
  
Dear Diary,  
Shire Year 1391  
  
Today is the first day I am writing in you, kind of a surprise that I am since a certain someone gave you to me. Well diary, I will fill you in, but first I wish to write about my 21st birthday party in which I lost my freedom for the next two weeks. Here's what happened diary.  
  
It was the day before and my mother was going crazy about the fact that it was only 24 hours until my big day. She was ecstatic that I had finally come of age so that I could begin to court the other lads of the Shire. Little did she know that I already had one boy in mind and it wasn't the one that she wished for. I have to admit diary that when I think about it, there is no one else more perfect for me and I more perfect for him. It is destiny we are made for each other! Although my mother insists that we are not. Well, she doesn't really know about him, but I won't hesitate a moment longer to tell his name. The love of my life, the hobbit that I am meant for, the lad that makes my knees shake and my stomach do flip flops is none other than Meriadoc Brandybuck. Yes, yes diary I am very well aware of the fact that I will never have a chance with the most good looking hobbit lad in Buckland, but a girl can dream, can she not?  
  
Anyways for my grand party every lad in the whole of the Shire had been invited in order for me "to see the choices", in my mother's good words. I, of course, only thought of how Merry and I could get the chance of dancing with one another the most, and for a way to break it to him my feelings that I had hidden for so long. So as my mother continued to go down the list of invites I wasn't paying attention. Then when she got down to the young hobbits she would invite from Hobbiton, my wonderful daydreams were interrupted on hearing the dreaded last name. The last name of my most hated rival. The name of the lad whose sole purpose is to make my life as miserable as possible, Frodo Baggins. When she came to this name she looked up at me expectantly as if she was expecting a positive result from uttering those two cursed words. My only immediate answer was "What!"  
  
"Oh, come now Hazel surely you remember young Frodo? You used to play together as children, then his parents had that terrible accident and he moved to live with his uncle, Bilbo."  
  
Oh I remembered perfectly enough. Except I remembered it in greater detail than my mother had told me, it was at that moment, diary, that I felt for the first time ready to faint. It was disastrous, at that moment I wanted to cry. If he was coming then he would ruin everything, everything! My whole entire well planned out party would go down the drain! But then as all these horrible thoughts flooded into my head I immediately stopped. No. No, I told myself I won't let this happen, I didn't let his trickery and teasing ruin my childhood, and he is certainly not going to ruin one of the most important nights of my life. So I quickly changed attitude and stared at my mother saying, "Oh really, yes I remember him quite well."  
  
My mother was very happy to hear that since, ever since I was born, she believed that Frodo and I were destined for one another, even though we had made it clear to both of our parents that we absolutely despised each other. My sister Daniella says that when one hates someone so much they are actually deeply in love with that person. Well, I believe that I will be the first person to prove her wrong in that theory. To actually think of the thought that I might actually love Frodo was such a repulsive statement that when I heard these words I almost hurled. But of course that wouldn't have been very ladylike of me to do, especially because at the moment we were in the market.  
  
So then diary the big day finally arrived. My mother woke up the whole entire family a couple of hours after dawn in order for them to prepare. The party was to be held in a field beside Brandyhall. There about a hundred tables were to be set up and the ladies of Brandyhall were at hard work trying to finish all the cooking.  
  
A couple of hours before the party began my mother and all of her friends got together and they got me prepared. I must say that when they were finished I didn't look a thing like myself. I looked much nicer, in the words of my best friend Estella Bolger, Merry wouldn't be able to resist. So before I knew it I found myself at the entrance to the field greeting my guests and trying not to stumble over my own two feet.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
"Has he arrived yet?" asked Estella coming up behind Hazel.  
  
"No not yet, oh I am so nervous. What if when I begin the first dance with him I trip? Or maybe I'll have too much to eat or drink and then I throw up on him. or. or."  
  
"Relax you'll be fine! Besides have you noticed how all the other lads have been staring at you since they arrived?"  
  
"No, well I'm sure they'll stop staring as soon as Diamond arrives she is the most beautiful girl in the entire Shire."  
  
"That may be, but remember she isn't the one looking like a princess tonight." Estella looked over at Hazel with a warm smile and said, "Don't worry you'll do fine!" Hazel returned her smile and sighed.  
  
It was at that moment that the Long Cleave family arrived accompanied by the Burrows. Diamond, who was looking as lovely as ever wearing a pink dress, was in a deep conversation with her little sister Jaclyn, Sarette Burrows, and Stefine Mudpuddle. They broke away from their conversation so that they could greet Hazel and her awaiting family. Diamond pulled Estella and Hazel aside.  
  
"Have you heard", she asked.  
  
"Heard what?" Hazel inquired.  
  
"There are rumors of a very handsome hobbit making his way to your party!" answered Jaclyn.  
  
"Who is it?" asked Estella clearly interested in the conversation.  
  
"I'm not sure but Sarette saw him passing by and heading for Tuckborough, the land owned by the Tooks", Jaclyn said.  
  
Sarette by her side nodded and said, "Yes I saw him riding a cart accompanied by an elderly hobbit."  
  
Then it hit Hazel. "Oh, don't fuss about him. If I'm not mistaken I bet you anything it's Frodo Baggins from Hobbiton with his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. He's probably heading off to see his cousin Pippin." She rolled her eyes. To think that they had confused Frodo with someone else was just too funny.  
  
Sarette opened her eyes wide. Stefine, who had stayed quite during the previous conversation said, "Frodo Baggins? Wasn't he the lad that used to tease you all the time when you were younger?"  
  
"Yes, the skinny, short one with the big blue eyes," Hazel answered.  
  
Sarette and Stefine exchanged looks. "Well, he must have really changed because he wasn't skinny or short. But I didn't see his eyes."  
  
Hazel thought for a minute and then began to have second thoughts of this strange newcomer.  
  
"Make way make way for the Took family! Make way make way!"  
  
Hazel and the others turned around. Hazel was grinning from ear to ear. She recognized the caller's voice. It was none other than the young heir to all of Tuckborough, Peregrin Took.  
  
And there soon enough rode up a carriage that was being led by two dazzling white ponies. And on top of the carriage wearing a broad smile was Pippin standing and waving at everyone from the top of the carriage. The carriage came to a sudden halt before the entrance causing other nearby hobbits to run out of its way. The group of girls that were standing around Hazel were all smiling and giggling. It was a known fact that Pippin was the most dashing hobbit in all of Tuckborough and well known for his dramatic entrances.  
  
Pippin was now standing in front of the ponies and patting them, smiling and flashing his pearly white teeth. He then went over to the carriage door and opened it letting his mother, father and brother and sisters out. Mrs. Eglantine Took stepped out of the carriage and threw her son a dirty look. She looked dizzy and bewildered from the wild carriage ride. When Mr. Paladin Took came out of the carriage he was wearing an identical smile to that of his son's and he patted him on the back. Pippin naturally got his cheerful nature from his father. Behind him came Pippin's siblings, Pearl, Pimpernel and Pervinca. His sisters shot him ugly faces as they tried to fix their hairs. Pippin only shrugged and turning saw the group of girls waiting for him. With a smile he made his way up to them.  
  
"Why hello, ladies lovely evening isn't it?" He bowed to them and took turns in kissing each of their hands.  
  
The girls blushed and giggled ridiculously, all except Diamond and Hazel.  
  
"Quit your charms Peregrin Took you know as well as I do that it makes me sick to see one kiss up to ladies in such a manner," said Diamond as she swiped her hand away from Pippin's lips before he could kiss it.  
  
"Why, Lady Long Cleave what a pleasant surprise! I see that you are still as bitter and sweet as ever." He gave her a playful punch on the arm. She returned it, harder though, and added with a smile, "And you still remain the same two face charmer that I have known unfortunately for all of my life."  
  
Hazel smiled at this; she knew that Diamond and Pippin always had these sorts of comments to one another, but for whatever reason she didn't know. She secretly suspected that it was their only way to flirt with one another.  
  
It was her turn and Pippin took her hand and kissed it. He looked up and said, "Why look it's the birthday girl! Now how old are you turning dear, 2.12?"  
  
Hazel laughed and said, "No I am turning 21 silly!"  
  
"Ah yes, well I was getting there", he answered with a smile. "Hey by the way is my crackpot cousin here yet?"  
  
"Which one", Hazel asked  
  
"The insane one that goes by the name of Brandybuck, and what do you mean by which one, who else is coming?"  
  
"You know very well who else is coming Pippin, for I have witnesses who saw him turning toward into Tuckborough on his way to see you."  
  
"Oh you must be mistaken; he is no cousin of mine. I am not related to a Busibody", answered Pippin.  
  
Hazel's eyes grew wide. "Alastor Busibody, he's coming to my party?"  
  
"It would appear so", answered Pippin.  
  
Hazel was not given time to answer since shortly after Pippin had spoken, the group of girls who had been paying all their attention to him, quickly turned around and watched as a group of hobbits came walking up to the entrance of the fields.  
  
Hazel's heart thumped in her chest as she quickly began to fidget with her hair and her dress as she watched Meriadoc Brandybuck and his family enter.  
  
Merry looked extremely handsome tonight and Hazel fought hard the urge to literally melt into the ground. Merry walked straight up to her ignoring the other lasses who were quietly waiting for him to kiss their hands, and bowed low and kissed her hand saying, "Happy Birthday."  
  
Hazel blushed furiously hoping that it wouldn't show. "Thank you Master Brandybuck", she said. Merry smiled and gave her a wink and proceeded into saying hello to the others. Merry's mother Esmeralda Brandybuck came up to Hazel and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"My, my Hazela you look lovely as ever. I hope you will meet some fine young hobbits tonight." Hazel knew who she was specifically talking about, Frodo. Hazel smiled and replied, "I do hope so Mrs. Brandybuck and once again thank you for letting us use your fields."  
  
"Oh your quite welcome, dearest." And with a curtsy she left. Hazel sighed with relief; at least she hadn't made a direct comment about Frodo.  
  
"Come Hazel you can greet the other guests later, I think you should start the dance!" cried Estella. She was so excited and was pushing Hazel towards Merry and Pippin who were talking to some other boys from the Shire. Hazel stopped her before Estella could manage to run her into the boys.  
  
"Estella, no I can't do this! I mean it's not ladylike for a lady to ask a gentleman to dance!"  
  
"Fine, hear I will do it for you", she said.  
  
"No, Estella!" cried Hazel as she saw her friend walk up to the group of boys and begin to talk to them.  
  
"Hazel, hi I love your dress!" said a voice from behind her. Hazel turned around to face Laura Longfellow, another friend of hers.  
  
"Oh thank you Laura", said Hazel and she quickly led her away from the group of boys who were beginning to look in her direction.  
  
"Here let's go sit with the girls", said Hazel as she made her way to where all her other friends were sitting.  
  
"Why do you insist on being that way towards him Diamond?" Stefine was saying. "I mean he is a fine gentle hobbit anyone can see that."  
  
"Well I guess I am not anyone, because I can see right through that 'angelic green eyes and flashing smile' inside is the devil himself mark my words", replied Diamond as she drank from her cup.  
  
"Are we speaking of Frodo?" asked Hazel coming up and sitting beside Diamond.  
  
"No, we are speaking of the Took" replied Diamond.  
  
Stefine merely shook her head. Laura was helping herself to some fruit punch when she looked up and said, "Speaking of which here he comes."  
  
Everyone turned their attention towards the group of Shire boys who had been talking earlier to Merry and Pippin. They spotted the group of girls and decided to sit down among them.  
  
"Greetings", said the first hobbit that went by the name of Johnny Glenn. Johnny made it a point to sit down by Jaclyn, who he was madly in love with.  
"Hello, ladies mind if we join you?" asked Merry and not waiting for an answer he made himself comfortable sitting by Estella. The other lads joined them. Hazel looking among them noticed one who caught her eye.  
  
"Alastor is that you?" she asked looking at him.  
  
"Hazel? My you have certainly changed! Happy birthday!" Alastor said bowing low and giving her a kiss on the hand.  
  
Hazel stood up and gave him a hug. "It's been too long, what have you been up to?" She asked letting him go.  
  
"Oh nothing much, just dreaming of the opportunity when I could meet you again. Look at you!" He said and gave her a smile. "Let me have a good look at you. Here twirl!"  
  
Hazel laughed and did so. As she twirled she saw the hint of jealousy in the eyes of every lass there. It was Alastor who had been called the most handsome hobbit coming to her party. And he was indeed very attractive, with light blonde hair and turquoise colored eyes. "But no one could beat Merry", she thought to herself.  
  
"I am so glad to see you, have you missed us?" she asked indicating the other lasses.  
  
"Of course, but I have had a friend of mine to keep me company." He turned around and standing there was none other than Frodo Baggins.  
  
"Oh dear, here it comes", whispered Diamond to Stefine as she watched.  
  
"Why Master Baggins, what a pleasant surprise", said Hazel. Her expression changed.  
  
"I'm glad it is pleasant. Um, Happy Birthday Hazela", he said and came forward. Hazel peered down at him. "He had changed a little, but his blue eyes remained the same," she thought to herself as she held out her hand for him to kiss it.  
  
Frodo hesitated and then bent low and kissed the air above it. He looked up and stared at her, and she stared at him. It seemed to Hazel that for a split second there was a single spark full of hatred memories that went through them. Frodo then sneered and said, "So how has it been? Has ten or some odd years managed to tame you or are you the same harpy as ever?"  
  
There was a big "oo" that went around the watchers.  
  
"In appearance but not in heart", answered Hazel. She shook her head proudly as she tried to get some stray hairs out of her face.  
Frodo stared at her for a second and then grinned. He bowed low and reached out and took her hand and kissed it. Then he looked up and said, "Glad to hear it."  
  
Hazel continued to stare at him with the same expression, very straight and stern. Frodo then sat down beside Alastor and began to serve himself some punch from the nearby food table. Hazel too sat down and continued to look at Frodo. "What was that suppose to mean?" she thought to herself. Puzzled she crossed her arms. What followed was a long silence. The two groups stayed silent until Diamond broke it saying, "It's good to see the old gang together again."  
  
Everyone nodded at this. Suddenly music began to play. Estella shot Hazel a smile. Hazel merely shook her head and began to nervously twiddle her thumbs.  
  
"Huh, the music's started, but there is no one on the dance floor. I think they are waiting for you to start the first dance", said Estella rather louder than what was necessary. Hazel felt a shiver go up and down her spine.  
  
Merry then got up and stood before her bowing low. "May I have the honor to share the first dance with you?" he asked. He smiled warmly.  
  
Hazel felt weak at the knees. She stood up and curtseyed clumsily and said, "You may."  
  
Merry then offered his arm to her and she gladly took it. Hazel managed to catch Estella's eye before walking out on the dance floor with Merry. The music began to play a soft sort of melody as the couple reached what they presumed was the center of the dance floor.  
  
Hazel felt awkward but soon she felt comfortable in Merry's arms. Merry gingerly took her and they soon were twirling around the dance floor. Hazel felt slightly dazed as she continued to stare into Merry's cool blue eyes. Suddenly the tune changed to a sort of jig. There was a shout as more couples joined them on the dance floor. Merry flashed Hazel a smile; he brought her ear close to his lips.  
  
"Are you ready?" he whispered. Then without warning he twirled her round real fast and Hazel found herself in the arms of Pippin. Pippin smiled and pretty soon the music got faster. Hazel remembered the song that was being played and when a certain note came she was ready. Pippin twirled her and she went into Johnny Glenn's arms. And this was how it went for a good three minutes. Until finally she was brought back into Merry's arms again, then all the other hobbit couples formed a type of circle around them as they danced to the happy music.  
  
Both Hazel and Merry were having so much fun that Hazel didn't notice that Diamond and Pippin were dancing with one another or the fact that Alastor who was sitting beside Frodo kept a steady longing stare towards them. When the song ended Hazel was tired and she curtseyed to Merry and went to sit down.  
  
"Phew!" she sighed as she served herself a glass of punch. She watched as Merry went off to speak with his mother who had called to him. She smiled and mused at the fact that she had danced with him. Pretty soon Hazel began to drift off into daydreams about herself and Merry.  
  
By the end of the night Hazel was asked to dance with almost every lad at the party. She was thrilled to the fact that Merry kept coming back to ask her to dance a total of four times. Feeling a bit lightheaded after dancing for what seemed to be the tenth time with Alastor Hazel made her way to where her mother and father were eating their meals.  
  
"You called mum?"  
  
"Yes, Hazel dear. Are you having fun? My goodness child your face is beet red!" Mrs. Underhill smiled at her daughter and handed her a glass of punch.  
  
"Oh yes, I am having tons of fun, mum! Thank you for throwing me this party!"  
  
"I'm glad, tell me dear who have you been dancing with?"  
  
"Well, practically almost everybody, like you told me to." Hazel took a pause as she gulped down the punch.  
  
"Well, I believe one of your guests is feeling left out", said her mother.  
  
"Who", asked Hazel a little puzzled.  
  
Her mother looked over her shoulder. Hazel followed her gaze. Across some tables there sat one lonely figure, Frodo Baggins.  
  
"Ugh! Frodo! No I am sure that he has had plenty of chances to dance with other lasses."  
  
Mrs. Underhill shook her head. "No he has not gotten up from that spot. Dear I am only suggesting as the hostess of the party to go up there and dance with him at least once."  
  
Hazel rolled her eyes. "I suppose I could have a little mercy on him." Hazel walked away from her mother and made her way as slowly as possible to where Frodo was sitting.  
  
"So you don't know who your parents are?"  
  
"No, all I know is that I was found in a mud puddle by Mr. and Mrs. Burrows and that is how I came to have my last name, Mudpuddle", explained Stefine who had just joined Frodo on the bench.  
Frodo nodded. "That's very interesting." He then looked up to see Hazel standing over him.  
  
"Can I help you?" He asked coldly.  
  
"Let's just get this over with", thought Hazel as she forced a smile on her face.  
  
"Actually I was wondering if I could help you. Against my will I have come to ask if you wouldn't mind sharing the next dance with me?"  
  
Frodo raised his eyebrows. He looked up at Hazel in disbelief.  
  
"Um, um, with all due respect I rather not", he answered looking away.  
  
Hazel made a frustrated sound. "And why not, Frodo Baggins?"  
  
Frodo looked down at his feet and didn't answer. Hazel watched him.  
  
"Don't you think that I am doing this out of the goodness of my own heart, Frodo Baggins, because I am not! I only want this to be done so that I can please my mother."  
  
"It's not that I don't want to.it's just that I.can't", he said looking up from his feet and smiling sheepishly.  
  
Hazel's expression changed. This was really quite amusing. She smiled and said, "Aw, you mean to tell me Frodo dear that you can't dance?"  
  
Frodo scowled at her. He hated being talked to like that.  
  
"No I can't Underhill", he answered coldly.  
  
Hazel giggled and said, "Oh come now silly, everyone can dance. Here I'll show you how if you like?"  
  
Frodo looked at her with mistrusting eyes. She smiled back angelically. He sighed and agreed.  
  
3o minutes later.  
  
"There you go, see 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3. There you got it!"  
  
A very tired Frodo plumped down on a bench and laughed. An equally tired Hazel sat down beside him and laughed as well.  
  
"Ow! Frodo I think you stepped on every single toe on my right foot."  
  
"Sorry, it's just not as easy as it looks." Frodo laughed merrily.  
  
"Would you like some punch, maestro?" Frodo asked Hazel.  
  
"Oh yes please", answered Hazel. Frodo left to go get the glasses of fruit punch. Hazel smiled to herself; miraculously she had been having fun with her rival for the past 30 minutes.  
  
"Well, well, well what do we have here?" Hazel turned around to see Estella walking up to her. "Can it be that arch enemies Hazel and Frodo are actual enjoying each other's company?"  
  
Hazel rolled her eyes. "Please Estella we weren't enjoying each other's company. I was playing the role of a good hostess and spending time with one of my guests. Besides if you didn't realize it I was trying to teach Frodo here how to dance."  
  
Estella smiled and said, "I am just teasing you Hazel. By the way your mum says that it is time for us to cut the cake."  
  
"Alright I'll be right there first I need something to drink," answered Hazel. She stood up and searched for Frodo. He was standing a little ways to her right talking with Alastor.  
  
Hazel sighed. What a lovely gentleman he is letting me sit here and die of thirst while he goes off and talks to his friends. She walked up to them and without saying a word took her cup from Frodo's hands and walked off to where everyone was waiting for her. She turned around to see that Frodo was smiling at her. She smiled back.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Hazela! Happy birthday to you! Hooray" shouted everyone in union.  
  
Hazel was so happy. She was finally 21 years of age and she had had such a good time at her party that now all that was left was for her to blow out her candles, everyone eat the cake and go home. She was tired and her eyes began to irritate her. She smiled at everyone remembering all the other birthdays she had had. But out of all of them this one was the best!  
  
As the song ended she stepped on top of her chair, for the cake was taller than she, and leaned forward.  
  
"Make a wish!" someone called to her.  
  
Hazel grinned she knew what she would wish for. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips thinking of her wish in her mind and then blew. * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
And just after I was thinking of my wish to be together with Merry for the rest of my life.I felt a shove from behind me and then my chair tipped forward and.. CRASH! All I could see diary was cake frosting!  
  
It took me a couple of seconds to realize what had just happened. I could feel many hands grabbing me and pulling me out of my once perfect birthday cake. I was gasping for air for my mouth and, unfortunately my nose was full of cake and frosting. I looked around and saw that everyone was staring at me and the mess that I had become.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Hazel I am soo sorry! It was an accident I swear! Someone had pushed me from the back and then. do u need a towel?"  
  
I turned around to see who this person was. And there he was standing there his blue eyes wide open in shock, Frodo Baggins. My face turned beet red diary! I swear if it wouldn't have been for all that frosting on my face I would have looked like a tomato. I was so angry that all the things I was thinking of yelling at him, didn't come out. I didn't want to cry, not in front of him, or the whole entire Shire and especially not in front of Merry, but for one second all of that was gone. It was only me and Frodo. Ugh, if only looks could kill because I swear the look that I gave Frodo would have made him keel over right there and then.  
  
Then diary here is why I got grounded. All my anger that was boiling up inside of me became actions instead of words. So before I could stop myself, I had grabbed a piece of the cake from behind me and said, "I'll show you accident, Frodo Baggins!" Then I threw that piece of cake right into his face. He stared at me in shock; whatever he had been expecting my reaction to be certainly hadn't been this. Then Pippin, who was standing beside him, began to laugh at him.  
  
Frodo then took a little bit of cake off of his face and thrust it into Pippin's face. Pippin looked at his cousin in shock and then yelled, "Cake fight!"  
  
That had been it, before I knew it every single hobbit lad and lass had gotten a piece of cake and began to throw it. It was a big disaster, but I have to admit diary it was rather fun. So my birthday ended with my father yelling at us all, his face purple, and telling us to all go home. Once home I was grounded for two weeks because I had been unladylike and hit Frodo in the face with some cake. The fact that it was my birthday was completely ignored. So now here I am stuck in my room with no freedom for another 12 days. But only one thing has been bothering me diary, well actually two. How on earth am I going to have my sweet revenge on Frodo? And will my birthday wish come true? 


	4. Dreams

D/N: I don't own anything no LOTR or the lyrics to this song by Myra  
  
Author's Note: Hey I finally updated, sorry you guys its just that I have had a long and busy summer and had had no time to write, plenty of time to brainstorm, but no writing time. Anyway I hope this next chapter will make it up to you guys.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 4 Dreams  
  
Have you ever had a dream? One day a thought came to me.oh it transformed into a vision as if I could touch it with my hand.  
  
Wh-where am I? Huh?  
  
Frodo stood panting and sweating, he was standing in the middle of a wood looking around frantically.  
  
How did I come to be here? Frodo took a couple of steps forward, the autumn leaves crunching under his feet. The air hung with mist making it hard to see. Frodo squinted as he looked around. He searched his mind frantically, but could find no solution for why he was here.  
Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of something moving in the mist. He took a couple more steps toward it. It was a running figure, but he couldn't really tell what it was exactly. One thing was for sure it was another hobbit.  
"Hello! Can you hear me? Can you tell me where I am?" Frodo called into the gloom. The figure seemed to stop. Frodo began to jog towards it, never keeping his eyes off the hobbit in front of him. When he drew closer he realized that it was more of a shadow of a hobbit than an actual real hobbit itself.  
  
I must be dreaming this can't be real.can it?  
  
"Hey, who are you and where am I?" He called again. But the hobbit didn't seem to be paying attention to him. Instead it was focusing on something in its hand. Its shoulders began to move up and down as if the figure was crying. The hobbit put its hands to its eyes and began to weep.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Frodo, walking carefully up to the mourning shadow, but still keeping a distance between them.  
  
Suddenly the figure seemed to throw whatever it was that it had been holding in its hand. Frodo heard it hit a tree and fall to the ground. The hobbit then turned and fled from the scene. Frodo, cocking an eyebrow, turned from the running figure to where the object had fallen. He decided to find out what that object was. Walking up to the roots of the tree which it had hit, he groped around on the ground feeling for it with his fingers. Finally he found it lying on top of some fallen leaves. He picked it up it was warm in his hands. He felt it with his fingers and discerned the shape.  
"It's a."  
  
"Frodo, FRODO!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
Frodo was awake sitting upright on his bed. He looked around him and found that he was back in one of the many rooms of Brandy Hall, where he had gone to sleep the night before. There were no signs of trees or any running shadow. Merry and Pippin were looking down at him, concern in their faces.  
  
"Frodo, are you all right? Did you have a nightmare?" Pippin asked looking at Frodo.  
  
"Yeah, cousin for you were tossing and turning like crazy," remarked Merry.  
  
They both sat down on his bed. Frodo looked at them and realized that he was sweating. No not sweating but. He touched his forehead and found that the drops on his head was not sweat at all but tiny drops of dew like one finds after it rains.and they were cold. He quickly looked down at his right hand where he had been holding the object. His fingers were still cupped as if there was something there. He opened his hand and not to his surprise whatever it had been there was not there anymore. Frodo shook his head trying to regain his composure. It had felt so real.  
  
"Well, cousin are you coming or not?" asked Merry looking at him impatiently.  
  
"Yes if you hurry we could probably still get to the river before the sun rises", said Pippin.  
  
Frodo looked up at his two dear cousins, both were holding over their shoulder a fishing rod and Merry held in his hand a basket. Then it hit him, they were suppose to have gone fishing today.  
  
"No I'm sorry I can't", answered Frodo getting up from the bed and stretching. Merry and Pippin stood up as well and looked at him frowning.  
  
"Why not?" they both asked.  
  
"Because I promised Bilbo and your mum that I was going to go down to the Underhill's and apologize for my clumsiness, I have to apologize to Hazel." He looked at them glumly.  
  
Merry and Pippin looked at each other and sniggered.  
  
"We understand Frodo," said Merry.  
  
"Yeah", agreed Pippin, "you have to be the nice boy and apologize for your wrongful doing."  
  
"I don't see why it was an accident if one of the more drunken hobbits hadn't pushed me from behind none of this would have happened."  
  
At this Merry and Pippin both laughed, patting each other on the back and walked off, a spring in their step, out the door.  
  
Frodo frowned and grumbled as he slowly got dressed and went to breakfast. Halfway there the smell of sausages and eggs filled the air. Forgetting for one moment what he had to do; Frodo hurriedly joined his Uncle Bilbo down at the breakfast table.  
  
"Good morning, Frodo", greeted Bilbo.  
  
"Good morning", replied Frodo as he happily served himself some eggs.  
  
"You do remember that little errand that you have to do today?" asked Bilbo.  
  
Frodo stopped eating and set his fork down softly. He nodded slowly looking like a punished dog.  
  
"Oh come now Frodo, I have to teach you some sense of manners, or else your aunt will have my head", exclaimed Bilbo.  
  
"But Bilbo I already apologized to the Underhills!"  
  
"I know you have, but not to young Hazela yet and she was the one that you probably embarrassed the most."  
  
Frodo mumbled something under his breath.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Frodo stopped at the front door. He had never felt more stupid in his life. There he was standing in front of Hazela Underhill's front door, his most hated rival, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a basket of apples in the other. He looked like a total idiot! This was all his aunt Esmeralda's idea and she had seen to it that he would carry it through, for not far away he could see her politely chatting with a neighbor every now and then stealing a quick glance in his direction.  
  
Alright let's get this over with, he thought miserably as he knocked on the door.  
  
A minute later Daniela appeared.  
  
"Why Frodo, what a pleasant surprise!" she said leading him inside toward the sitting room.  
  
"Yes isn't it?" Frodo looked around him; he remembered the Underhill house very well, for he had been here many times before in his youth.  
  
"Now of what service can I be of?" asked Daniela eyeing the bouquet and basket with a questioning eye.  
  
"Um.er.can I speak to your sister?" Frodo asked awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with the hand that held the bouquet, causing a couple of petals to fall from the ground.  
  
Daniela eyed the petals on the floor. Frodo looked down and quickly picked them up. Looking around and having no other place to put them, he placed them in his pocket. Daniela grinned at Frodo and said, "Of course Master Baggins, right this way please".  
  
She led him down a hallway that Frodo knew led towards the kitchen and beyond led to the backyard where he remembered Mrs. Underhill used to have a vegetable patch there.  
  
I wonder if it's still there he thought as he instinctively continued to head for the back door.  
  
"Frodo, no she is not outside! She's over here."  
  
Frodo stopped. Daniela had gone off into another hallway to his left, one in which he had never gone down before except for once. As they walked down this hallway he remembered the one time he had been down it. It was when he and Hazel had been fighting again and to find a place to get a way and be angry he had found the study of her father. Looking around he recognized the study door. And then just across from it was where Daniela had knocked on a door.  
  
"Hazel, someone hear to see you", she called. But there was no answer coming from the other side. "She must be still in the bathroom; you are welcome to wait in her room if you want."  
  
Frodo halted. "Wait in her room? Won't she mind?"  
  
"No I am sure she won't, and besides it's pretty much like any ordinary room you know, nothing in here to bite you." She sniggered.  
  
"Well, no I know she will care if I am in her room, so I think I will just wait outside."  
  
Daniela shrugged and said, "All right if that is what you wish. If you need anything I will be outside in the garden." She walked off shaking her head and talking to herself.  
  
Now Frodo felt even more stupid then when he had been in the front door looking like he was going to go out on a date. He looked at the bouquet of flowers that he was holding they were in fact carnations from his aunt's garden. He saw the flower whose petals had fallen down it hung there limp looking very sad like a part of it had been taken away. Frodo sighed and then took off the flower from its stem and took the stem out of the bouquet. Having nowhere else to put the flower he placed it in the pocket of his pants as well. He sighed again, he knew that the consequences for going inside Hazel's room would probably be brutal and painful, not to mention awkward and embarrassing.  
  
He lingered there for another minute but finally curiosity got the better of him. With a quick glance to make sure that no one was around, he pushed open the door and walked inside. The room to his surprise was indeed pretty normal looking and in fact had almost the same layout of his own bedroom back in Bag End. There was a window directly across from him and along side it a bed accompanied by a night stand. The bed had been tidily made and upon it was a crocheted quilt with little flower designs. Scattered on the bed was what seemed to be Hazel's night gown as well as a couple of under garments.  
  
Frodo quickly turned his eyes from the bed feeling his cheeks flush as he did so. Looking around he eyed a beautifully carved wooden bureau, nothing like that could have come from the Shire. On top was a vase with dead daisies in it. He looked at his bouquet of carnations and setting down the basket of apples, took out the dead daisies and replaced them with his carnations. His attention was drawn to an old full length mirror. He checked his reflection, his hair somehow was more disheveled then usual and he tried fixing it with his fingers. Then something caught Frodo's eye as he saw the reflection of it in the mirror.  
  
Nailed to the back wall was a painting. Frodo turned to look at it more closely. It was in fact a painting of Buckland seen from a hill they called The Knoll. He recognized the inn, The Golden Sun, the one owned by the Underhills and Brandy Hall. Behind the hobbit holes loomed the Old Forest, and off to the horizon the Brandywine River could be seen. It was indeed a very well done piece of art. Frodo saw something scribbled on the bottom right hand corner of the painting. He gasped, it was Hazel's signature. It was she who had painted such a master piece.  
  
Frodo was impressed, he never knew of any other talent that Hazel possessed other than to argue and nag. He then went over to the desk on where it was clear that Hazel did most of her paintings for there were paint blotches everywhere. Over her desk was a bookshelf nailed to the wall and in it there was a series of collection of sketchpads.  
  
Frodo took one out, completely overwhelmed by how much he was learning about Hazel by just looking at her things. The sketchpad had many sketches of different things trees, hobbit holes, animals, the Brandywine, the Old Forest, flowers and even hobbits. Although he only found one portrait of a hobbit it looked like it could be Daniela, he noticed that the drawings here were not as good as the ones in her painting. And no wonder these drawings had been done almost four years ago.  
  
Excited to see more Frodo began to pull out more and more sketchpads. On the bottom of every sketch there was a date and soon Frodo had found the most recent one. The dates were in fact the dates when Hazel had been grounded for two weeks. The first picture was a rough sketch of the room that he was in seen from the angle if you had been on the bed. The next sketch was a sketch of Estella.  
  
"Pretty good", thought Frodo, "looks just like her". Then there was a sketch of Diamond, then Merry, Pippin, Jaclyn, Laura, Sarette, Stefine, Alastor and the most recent one.  
Frodo stopped and looked down at his own face smiling back at him. It was as if he had been looking in a mirror except he was in black and white. The resemblance was just too good. Frodo flipped back at the other ones and realized that his was the best one. He looked at the date, and it had been drawn in fact yesterday. He looked back at his own face. She had done a really good job. He was smiling in the picture. "She must have been in a happy mood", he thought to himself. His features were drawn in great detail even down to his long eyelashes. The Frodo on the paper looked up at him his eyes piercing as if trying to see through you.  
  
Frodo felt a chill as he stared at his picture. He set it down and then something caught his eye. On the desk was a little book that looked very familiar. It was green and had a golden border around it. Curious to know what it was he picked it up and opened it to the first page. He gasped.it was Hazel's birthday present from him to her, it was her diary.  
  
Author's Note: I know it is pretty cruel to end the chapter like that but I don't wish this chapter to be too long besides there is more to tell. Hope u enjoyed and look for my next chapter soon. Toodles! 


	5. Tomorrow

D/N: I don't own anything  
  
Author's Note: Thank you everyone for all your reviews I am really glad that you all like it. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Sorry about the wait.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 5 Tomorrow  
  
"And I want to believe you, when you tell me that it will be ok. Ya I try to believe you, but I don't."  
  
If it could be possible, Hazel was bored. It was her final day of her punishment and yet there was nothing to do. She had done everything there could be done around the house the day before and her mother and father had gone off on a trip to go visit some good friends down in Tuckborough. Daniela was busy talking to a "mysterious friend" of hers that had been writing her little love letters for the past three days.  
  
"Why could nothing exciting like that happen to me?" Hazel sighed. How she envied Daniela for all her letters and all her callers at the door, or sometimes outside her bedroom window at eleven o' clock at night. Oh if only she would have an interesting love life like that.  
  
"But the only reason you don't have one is because you are too shy and scared to say anything to Merry", said a voice in her head. It was true but hey what could a girl do? Hazel stared outside of her bedroom window. The sky was grey and gloomy. It smelled like rain and the wind blew fiercely. Hazel heard the grandfather clock down the hall ring five o' clock. A distant thunder was heard echoing off the rolling hills of the Shire.  
  
"Oh! I am so bored there is absolutely nothing for me to do!" Hazel sat down on her bed crossing her arms and pouting as she did so. Of course the last day of her punishment and it was going by ever so slowly. Rain began to steadily patter the ground outside. Hazel closed her window before her bed would get too wet. As the window clicked shut she had an idea. She would sit down and sketch.  
  
Hazel absolutely loved drawing and found it a great way to relax when she was feeling stressed or frustrated. She went up to her book shelf and took down her latest sketch book. Inside she flipped through her sketches and wrinkled her nose in disgust. They were okay but they lacked something to them. As she flipped through her previous drawings she wondered what, where or who would she draw.  
  
"Let's see I have already drawn everyone else," she said to herself studying the picture of Merry. "Except."  
  
She went to her desk set the sketch book down and picked up her pencil (I am not sure whether they had pencils back then or not but hey work with me). Looking outside one last time she began to draw.  
  
Her pencil glided over the page with swift gentle movements. Hazel's eyes scanned the paper up and down judging to make sure that the sizing would be right. Soon the rough sketch was finished and then she set to work on the hair. Finishing this she stopped. Pausing to think for a moment to figure out what expression she should give him.  
  
"Hmm, I'll be nice", she thought as she placed the tip of her pencil down again on the paper and continued.  
  
The first thing she drew was the eyes, then the eyebrows and the nose. The ears came next and finally the mouth, she had never really been particularly good with the mouth features of real people but this one came out all right. The minutes slowly ticked by and before Hazel knew it she had been working on the sketch for almost an hour. Thunder rumbled off in the distance and she heard the door slam somewhere in the house.  
  
"Daniela, she must be back", Hazel thought without looking up from her paper.  
  
"Hazel! Hazel what are you up to?" Daniela entered Hazel's room and walked over to her sister. She peeked over Hazel's shoulder and watched as Hazel put the finishing touches on her portrait.  
  
"Wow! That is good! Is that Frodo?" Daniela took it from Hazel and stared at it.  
  
"No Daniela, it's you. Of course it is Frodo . it does look like him doesn't it?"  
  
"Of course, it's wonderful, wow I didn't know you could draw so well. I mean I knew you could draw, but this is amazing!"  
  
Hazel blushed. "Yeah it is pretty good, huh?"  
  
"I bet you had to put a lot of heart into this one", said Daniela still looking at the picture.  
  
Hazel frowned. Heart, whatever did she mean by heart?  
  
"What do you mean heart?" Hazel frowned at her sister hands on her hips.  
  
"Oh I just meant you must have really gotten into this drawing because it turned out so well. I mean it almost seems as if Frodo must have been sitting right there and you had copied him."  
  
"Don't give me that Daniela. I know what you mean. And for the record I don't like Frodo. There are no feelings between us. We are just friends, nothing between us no matter what my mother or Mrs. Brandybuck may think!" And with that Hazel grabbed her sketch book from Daniela's hands closed it and placed it on her shelf.  
  
"I never said that, Hazel you said it. Don't get mad at me for something that I didn't say! Sheesh!" Daniela left Hazel's room, closing the door behind her. Hazel frowned, Daniela had been right, she, Hazel had said it not her.  
  
"I must be tired", she mumbled to herself. She then changed into her nightgown and lay on her bed. The minute her head touched the pillow she went into a deep slumber.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~  
  
The next morning, Hazel woke up bright and early ready to have fun. Her punishment was finally over and now she could do whatever she pleased. Hopping out of bed she decided she would first take a long bubble bath. So unchanging quickly she grabbed her robe and left for the bathroom.  
  
The bath water was so warm and the bubbles smelled of flowers.  
  
"This feels so good", she said. Hazel's parents would not arrive until later on that night, Daniela was off making breakfast or something and she could hear the birds chirping outside the halfway open window in the bathroom. Of course she had kept the curtain drawn so no one would peek in. Hazel felt so relaxed that all other thoughts slipped from her mind as she lay there in sweet bliss.  
  
After what seemed to be about an hour, Hazel sort of woke up from her bed of bubbles and decided it was time to get out and face the world. So getting out she dried herself and placed her towel around her. Her robe was in the corner and she didn't feel like she had enough energy to go and fetch it. She checked herself in the mirror, seeing that her black, wet hair fell down to her shoulders. Humming to herself a nice tune that she had heard before she stepped out of the bathroom and went down the hall.  
  
She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. There was someone in her room. She could hear someone walking around. Hazel frowned, no one was allowed to go inside her room without her permission except maybe her mother, but she was still at Tuckborough. Hazel carefully crept up to the door and peeked in. She let out a scream. There standing in the middle of her room was Frodo. He turned around and his face went white as he stared at her, but then flushed red. There was something in his hand.  
  
"Baggins, what in Middle Earth do you think you are doing here in my room!"  
  
Frodo turned if possible even redder, but couldn't answer. Hazel couldn't believe this. Who had let him in? What on earth was he doing in my room?  
  
"Well?" Hazel was pretty sure that her eyeballs were about to leap out of their sockets.  
  
"Um, um uh," stammered Frodo not being able to keep his eyes off of her.  
  
Hazel was fuming but then she froze. She had caught sight of herself in her mirror. She screamed. In all her anger at Frodo she had completely forgotten that she was wearing nothing but a towel, and not a very long towel at that. With not another glance back she ran out of her room and into the bathroom, clutching at her towel for what seemed to her dear life. Once inside the bathroom she cursed under her breath as she slipped on her robe. She put it on and sat there on the floor.  
  
"What an idiot, I am!" She began to bang her head against the bathroom wall, cursing and scolding herself for not paying attention and not having placed the robe on in the first place. She laid her head on top of her knees. She wanted to cry, but she wasn't quite sure why. That had to have been the most embarrassing moment in her whole life. She stayed in the bathroom for what seemed to her to be forever.  
  
Finally a knock came at the door. "Come in", sniffed Hazel for she was in the break of tears. The door slowly creaked open. Frodo's head peeped in. He smiled when he saw her sitting there on the bathroom floor. Hazel quickly changed her sitting position and sat there cross-legged. She looked up wiping the tears forming on the corners of her eyes away with the back of her hand.  
  
"Hey", said Frodo and he stood there awkwardly.  
  
"Hey", answered Hazel she refused to stand up.  
  
"Look, I am sorry about all this. I know this must have been hard on you finding me of all hobbits in your room. I promise I will never do it again. And I promise I won't tell anyone about it, alright?" Frodo's eyes lit up with honesty and he smiled.  
  
Hazel looked at him, but then her brow furrowed. "Don't you try to sweet talk your way out of this, Frodo Baggins! You are not off the hook yet! You were still in my room and looking through my stuff, which doesn't help you in this situation at all!"  
  
She stood up and faced him. Frodo flinched.  
  
"Yes I know it was not my place to be in there. And like I said I would like to apologize for looking through your stuff."  
  
"What were you looking through anyway?" Hazel cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh nothing important, a couple of your sketchbooks, um your latest painting that you were working on and that little red book that I bought you for your birthday." Frodo stopped and he covered his mouth with his hand.  
  
Hazel's jaw dropped. That was it the little bomb inside her had reached zero and it was going off.  
  
"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT THAT YOU GAVE ME!!! YOU STUPID BLOCKHEAD THAT'S MY DIARY!! HOW CAN YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO LOOK INTO MY DIARY!!! HOW, HOW, HOW COULD YOU? UGH!!!"  
  
And with that Hazel slapped him hard in the face. Frodo stumbled backwards surprised and in complete shock.  
  
"Hazel, let me explain I didn't really read it I just sort of you know, looked through it. I wanted to see if you had been using it. And, and."  
  
But Hazel never let him finish. She had grabbed the closest thing to her (her towel) and had begun to hit him with it. Frodo held up his arms in defense as he backed away from her until he was finally outside of the bathroom.  
  
"Wait hold on hold on!"  
  
Hazel stopped. Her rage had reached its boiling point. Frodo looked up from under his arms and sighed. Then his eyes lit up as an idea struck him, and he smirked.  
  
"What in Middle-Earth are you smiling about?"  
  
"Well, if I were you Hazel, I would stop trying to punish me with that towel of yours."  
  
"Oh really, and why do you think I should stop?" She answered coldly looking at him, hands on her hips.  
  
"Because, you wouldn't want me telling my dear cousin about how much you love him now would you?"  
  
Hazel froze. It had never occurred to her till now of what Frodo might have found in her diary. I mean I knew that was one of the things that he could have read, but I didn't think he would have actually read it. Hazel lowered the towel. Frodo smiled at this.  
  
"How do you know about that?"  
  
"Well, you see when it says on every page in big bold letters, I LOVE MERRY, or, I LOVE MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK, with little hearts around it, it is very hard to miss."  
  
Hazel could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment. This was definitely the worse day of her life.  
  
"You aren't going to tell him are you?" She looked at him pleadingly.  
  
"Um, I haven't decided yet", answered Frodo sniggering.  
  
"No! Wait please, oh please, don't tell him or anyone else, please!"  
  
"Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"Because, because it would ruin everything and, and." Hazel was speechless. She really didn't know why she wouldn't want Merry to be told that she loved him. Why was she so afraid about it?  
  
"Ruin what? Why are you so scared about him finding out? Are you scared of what he will say to you?"  
  
Yes, that's it! That was why she was so afraid of him finding out. She didn't know what he would say to her in response. She was afraid of the outcome.  
  
"Listen, Frodo I just want you to know that I have kept this secret almost for all of my life. Actually for about almost 16 years have I kept this secret from him and everyone else, the only ones who know about it is Estella and Diamond."  
  
Frodo frowned. "Well if you have liked him for so long then why have you never told him yourself?"  
  
"Because it's difficult to like someone and know that you will never be good enough for that person, I don't know it is a complicated feeling. You wouldn't understand."  
  
Frodo raised his eyebrows. "Actually for your information I have felt the same way about someone before! And yes I do know what you mean!"  
  
Hazel stared at him, puzzled. "Really, who."  
  
"But why him", Frodo interrupted, "why have you liked Merry for so long? What is so special about him?"  
  
Hazel shrugged. If Frodo hadn't been Frodo she would have told him, how Merry was so sweet, intelligent, handsome, charming, dashing, debonair, and ok maybe he wasn't all those things, but he was really nice, handsome, a charmer, and had a great sense of humor. What more could a girl ask for?  
  
Frodo frowned and shook his head. "Unbelievable" he muttered.  
  
Hazel decided to press him on the matter. "Frodo listen, now that I am officially calm, I ask you. Could you please find some goodness in your heart and not tell anyone about this. Please?"  
  
"And what will I receive in return?" He looked at her rubbing his chin as if he was making a deal.  
  
"Must you have something? Can you not be selfish for once in your life.?"  
  
"Alright, I was only joking. Alright I will keep your little secret and the fact that I was ever over here, if you promise not to tell anyone about our experience today. Pippin would have a field day if he ever heard about this." He sighed.  
  
Hazel smiled and nodded. They shook on it. Then Frodo left, still rubbing his cheek were Hazel had slapped him. Hazel was relieved that none of her family members were home to see this. She quickly went back into her room; there she saw that Frodo had placed her diary back on her desk. And beside it was her sketchbook opened to her latest sketch. She smiled glad to know that he had seen her best drawing. Her eyes scanned her room and they fell on the pink and yellow carnations that had taken the place of her dead daisies. She smiled at this. Beside her bureau was a basket full of red apples. She nimbly took one and bit into it. It was nice and fresh. She sat down on her bed and ate her apple. She caught sight of her nightgown and her undergarments on her bed. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly put them away.  
  
Her ears still burning from thinking of the fact that Frodo had seen her nightgown, she continued to eat her apple. Today had not been a good day at all. She went over to her desk and picked up her quill.  
  
Dear Diary,  
Today was the most embarrassing day of my whole entire life!  
  
Hazel stopped and reflected on the past events that had taken place. She frowned, would Frodo keep his promise? Would he? Could she truly trust him? "I guess the only thing to do is wait today and tomorrow to see if he does", she thought to herself. And what about this mysterious crush of his, he had said that he had once liked someone and knew how Hazel was feeling.  
  
"Hmm, I wonder who it is or was, and if I know her?" She thought to herself. Shrugging her shoulders she continued to write in her diary her account of her day. All the while thinking what would happen if Merry did find out about her feelings towards him. But what really stuck in her mind was what Frodo had said, "Actually for your information I have felt the same way about someone before! And yes I do know what you mean!" 


	6. Deck the Halls

D/N: I don't own anything  
  
Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait u guys I know it took me forever to post something new up, but u know. Oh and a response to Faye I am going to have Frodo go on the quest. Ok a note on this chapter and for the next chapter as well. I think that the hobbits celebrate a day kinda like Christmas except not, I don't know what that day is called, but that's ok that's the beauty of fanfics. You can put whatever you want to in these things and hopefully people won't criticize you too much.hopefully. Oh and another thing since we all know that Christmas is celebrated on the 25th I realized that the dates would be off so I changed the dates on the earlier chapters of hazel's party to have happened on the 6th of December. So please make a note of that, thank you.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 6 Deck the Halls  
  
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la 'Tis the season to be jolly Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Don we now our gay apparel Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la. Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol Fa- la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la."  
  
The snow was beginning to come down in little flurries. The ground was covered in ice, and the trees were soon frosted with white. The Shire was always pleasant to look at during this time of year. And the best way to do so was to watch the snowflakes from indoors sitting by a cozy fire while holding warm cups of hot chocolate, while talking amongst your friends.  
  
"Hazel?"  
  
Hazel turned her eyes from the window and back to look at her circle of friends. She had invited all her friends for a sleep-in at her house, one of the last they will probably share with one another regarding the fact that they were getting far too old for such childish behaviors.  
  
"Hazel, now it is your turn truth or challenge?" Stefine was the ringleader in this game and her eyes blazed with excitement. Hazel sighed; personally she had never really cared for the game itself finding it stupid and pointless, and the sole purpose only to humiliate one another. But sometimes if played properly it can be very entertaining, to watch of course.  
  
"Um, truth", answered Hazel not wanting do something that might embarrass her.  
  
Stefine looked at her with an evil grin and then said, "What happened between Frodo and you that day when he came over to your house?"  
  
Hazel stiffened, she had promised not to tell anyone, but how could they have known about it? She thought for a minute, before she answered. If she told them all the truth, it would probably leak out somehow and get back to Frodo. He would be mad at her, oh well. But wait if she did tell them the truth and it did reach back to Frodo then probably Frodo wouldn't keep his half of the bargain either. He would tell Pippin or worse even Merry himself and then Hazel's deepest darkest secret will be out. But then again if she did tell her friends about it, it would be getting Frodo back, for she couldn't forget those words that he had spoken. "Actually for your information I have felt the same way about someone before! And yes I do know what you mean!" That way if she did tell her friends with their help she could figure out who Frodo really did like and plot out her revenge on him. Besides she trusted them all anyways.  
  
"Well?" Stefine and the others were all waiting impatiently as all these thoughts ran through Hazel's head.  
  
Hazel took a deep breath and told them everything that had taken place the other day when Frodo had come over. Throughout the story she was interrupted many times, but finally was able to finish. At the end of her story, her friends were beside themselves with laughter.  
  
"Wait so you like Merry?" asked Laura raising an eyebrow.  
  
Hazel blushed and nodded, she had forgotten that Laura, Stefine, Sarette, and Jaclyn didn't know about it. All four of them began to laugh again. Hazel could feel her ears burning. It wasn't that funny, was it?  
  
"But wait, wait," said Estella, "you said Frodo likes someone?"  
  
"Yes either that or he did. I tried to ask him about it but he interrupted me." Hazel frowned.  
  
"And then he questioned you about why you liked Merry?" Diamond grinned broadly.  
  
"What?" Hazel looked at her with eyebrows raised.  
  
"Seems to me, Hazel, that you got yourself an admirer," teased Diamond.  
  
Hazel gaped at her. What on earth was she talking about?  
  
"What? I do not whatever gave you that idea?"  
  
"It's obvious isn't it? I mean why else would he ask you about why you liked Merry, but because he is jealous." Diamond looked at Hazel as if she knew what she was talking about.  
  
"Oh yes, I can see it now." Estella jumped up from the carpet where she had been sitting and placed her mug on the table nearby.  
  
"Ever since his childhood poor young Master Baggins has felt a strange feeling in his heart. The feeling gradually grew into an ache after that terrible accident with his family and he had to move to Hobbiton. Therefore all those years his heart yearned for a way of healing. Finally during his long time of reflection and lament he finally realized what he was missing. He was missing you. But he did not wish to share this with anyone in fear of what you might say or do. And because of your past history with one another it was clear that if he did breathe a word it would spread like wild fire all over the Shire. So every day he kept to himself wondering when he would get to see your radiant face again."  
Hazel snorted at this.  
"And so finally when your invitation arrived in his mailbox his heart gave a leap, for finally here was his chance to prove to you that he was truly aching for you. But there was a twist; he knew that there was still a bit of "hatred" between you two so in order to not completely surprise you he came back acting as if nothing had changed. Soon you would grow comfortable again in his company and then he would make his move. The day that he bumped you into your cake, was part of his plan all along giving him a chance to go to your house and apologize. But then something messed up his plan entirely. For when he looked into your diary he realized that you were in fact in love with another hobbit. But who else but his own dear cousin! This stabbed him at the heart and he felt that he could never win. But faint heart never won fair lady, so with this in mind he continued forward trying to gain every bit of information about your love for Merry, while in the meanwhile accidentally dropping a hint about his true feelings for you. I bet you even now he is thinking about this, with a tormented heart and a troubled mind."  
  
Estella finished and sat down. The girls were all staring at her. Stefine and Sarette applauded her on her performance. Hazel just stared at her in disbelief. How in Middle-Earth did she get all of that from: "Well why Merry?"  
  
"I agree with Estella I think Frodo does like you", said Sarette.  
  
"No I would have to disagree", said Diamond. "I mean I think it is clear that he likes someone else. Because it couldn't be Hazel they hate each other's guts. Frodo's reaction towards Hazel's liking of Merry was natural anyone of us would have acted the same if your friend liked your cousin."  
  
Some of the girls wrinkled their noses at this. Pretty soon a debate was started over if Frodo did like Hazel or no, and if he didn't who then did he like? Hazel sat there her chin cupped in her hands and watched her friends talk about Frodo's love life. She was in no mood to talk about this, but drew her attention out the window again. Suddenly an idea hit her. She grinned goofily as it slowly began to take form in her mind of how she could probably get to Merry on Christmas Day with the help of a special tradition involving a small plant.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
Frodo was in Brandyhall and he was helping the rest of his relatives decorating the Great Hall for the annual Brandyhall Christmas party. He whistled merrily a holiday tune, behind him he could hear Merry starting to sing the song itself.  
  
"Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too Come on its lovely weather for sleigh ride together with you, outside the snow falling and friends are calling yoo hoo come on its lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you."  
Frodo joined Merry in song as they both helped set up the banner that read on it "Merry Christmas!" over the door.  
  
"Everything looks great, lads! Keep up the good work." Bilbo was sitting in his favorite armchair close to the fireplace, smoking on his pipe.  
  
"Come now Bilbo, you are not going to just sit there and make your nephew do all the work! Get up and lend me a hand with this table, it needs to be over there." Mrs. Brandybuck shooed Bilbo away from his seat as if he were a chicken and began to fuss about the how some of the pipe weed had been spilt on the chair.  
  
Frodo smiled and shook his head. It was good to be back among family and be around the noise and all the hustle and bustle of Brandyhall during this time. Back in Hobbiton it was a merry time but not as loud and rambunctious as it was here. Merry went off to help out with one of the two pine trees that were to be set up and decorated at the entrance of the hall. As Frodo watched him leave, an image of Hazel's handwriting came back to his mind.  
  
Dear Diary,  
I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I don't know if I should tell him or not. I just now figured out why I am afraid of telling him about my true feelings. Actually to my utter surprise Frodo figured it out which makes no sense, but anyways. I am afraid to tell him because I don't want to know what he is going to say. I mean I do want to know but I am scared to find out the result. But then again diary if I know that he is The One for me, I just know it! So if we truly are meant for one another then why am I still shaking?  
  
Frodo frowned. How could she say that? To like someone for so long and never tell him that, and all the meanwhile decide that he is the only one for her when she doesn't even know his side of it. What if Merry doesn't like Hazel? What if he just doesn't feel that way for her? Would she be forced to live a life of misery because he isn't her husband? That is too harsh if you ask me. His brow furrowed more as another thought struck him. What if Merry did like Hazel? And they did end up in a relationship? What if they got married? Frodo wrinkled his nose. He didn't know if he could stand having Hazel as a cousin. But then again that would be interesting. A shiver went up and down his spine as he could picture Hazel walking down the aisle and standing beside Merry. Frodo and Pippin would be nominated as Merry's best hobbits no doubt and would be standing there right by him. On the other side beside the bride Estella and Diamond would stand as Hazel's bride lasses.  
He closed his eyes tight trying to block out that image from his mind. It would never work out. Why was she doing this to herself? She must be stupider than he thought she was. Why torment yourself over someone who you don't even know all that well or don't know if he even gives a toadstool about you? He just had to find out if Merry did have feelings for Hazel, he just had to. And if he didn't then well. Frodo sighed and jumped down from the ladder and made his way outside.  
  
Once outside he spotted his cousin trying to place the star on top of the tree's highest point. Having done this successfully, Merry climbed down halfway and then jumped the rest. Frodo smiled at him for he had pine needles stuck in his hair. Hopefully Pippin wouldn't come out of the kitchens where he was "helping" and bother them.  
  
"Merry can I speak with you for a second?"  
  
"Certainly Frodo", Merry answered cheerfully.  
  
Frodo led him away from the rest of the other hobbits just in case anyone happened to eavesdrop on their conversation. They journeyed down the road and over to a hill that Frodo knew was where Hazel probably had painted her picture of Buckland.  
  
"Frodo what on earth is this about?" asked Merry for he couldn't believe why they were going out so far.  
  
"Well I don't want anyone to hear us." Finally they reached the spot under the big oak tree whose leaves had fallen to the floor. The snow was cold under their feet but their fur kept them warm.  
  
"Ok, Merry I have a question to ask of you.".  
  
Author's note: I know I know ya'll are all hating me right now right? Sorry but don't worry you'll find out soon enough what Merry says. R&R please! Thanks 


	7. It's In His Kiss

D/N: I don't own anything except for my characters and my plot.  
  
Author's note: Thanks you guys for all your reviews, yeah I am sorry that I had to leave ya'll hanging but that is the way it's got to be. So but anyways here it goes. Oh by the way this is another one of those long chapters so brace yourselves.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 7. It's In His Kiss  
  
"If you want to know if he loves you so it's in his kiss, that's where it is. Oh yeah it's in his kiss that's where it is."  
  
"Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, throw cares away  
  
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer, to young and old, meek and the bold,  
  
Ding dong ding dong that is their song with joyful ring all caroling One seems to hear  
  
words of good cheer from everywhere filling the air Oh how they pound, raising the sound, o'er hill and dale, telling their tale, Gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here, Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas, Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas, On on they send, on without end, their joyful tone to every home Dong Ding dong ding... dong!"  
  
The choir outside of Brandyhall sang sweetly in the Christmas air. It was Christmas Eve and the annual party had begun. There were cheers and laughter. A surplus of food and drink that could satisfy the appetite of all the guests there lay on the tables. The roaring fires gave warmth and light accompanying the lit candles that were decorated everywhere about the place. Holly and mistletoe hung from every doorway as couples walked under them carrying on with the tradition of showing their passion towards one another. Presents lay under the Christmas tree and music had started up. All the furniture has been moved to make a dance floor for the merry hobbits of the Shire.  
  
Merry and Pippin stood with their mugs of ale held high over their heads singing at the top of their lungs "Deck the Halls". Others began to join in with them as the Christmas spirit rose in even the gloomiest of hearts. Hazel and her friends were entering the hall as the caroling of the two cousins and their other choir members filled their ears. Hazel's heart gave a leap as she stared at Merry laughing and smiling. Estella nudged her; Hazel turned and looked at her. Both knew that tonight was to be a night to remember.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
Frodo fixed his collar. He tried to comb his hair again trying to let it not just look as if he had woken up from bed, for indeed he had only fifteen minutes ago. Merry had run past his room and called for him to start getting ready for the feast. Getting his vest over his shirt and making sure for the last time that he had buttoned up his shirt correctly he sprinted down the corridor.  
  
He was greeted with the many sounds of laughter and joy. He caught sight of Pippin amongst all the green and red and went over to him.  
  
"Hello, Pippin, Merry Christmas!"  
  
"Merry Christmas to you too, Frodo I was wondering when you would be getting over here."  
  
"Sorry can you believe that all that decorating wore me out and I had to take a quick nap."  
  
"Oh really well we have missed you for the passed half an hour. But no worries, better late than never as your Uncle Bilbo would say." Pippin patted Frodo on the back and ventured off somewhere.  
  
Frodo caught sight of other friends of his and went over to start up a friendly conversation. Soon the general beginning of the feast was announced even though the majority of the guests there had already helped themselves to their fourth helping. There was a scramble to get to the buffet tables as the ones who had been polite raced to get the remainder of the food. Piling his plate high with turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, mushrooms, rice, and pudding Frodo found himself at the end of the buffet table quarreling with Hazel over the last loaf of bread.  
  
"As you can see I had my hand on it first therefore it is rightfully mine", argued Hazel grabbing the loaf from under Frodo's fingers.  
  
"Oh I beg to differ, you see before you ever touched the bread I was already eyeing it. Therefore it is rightfully mine." Frodo grabbed the bread from her.  
  
She frowned and tried to grab it out of his hand. He held it up high over his head so that she couldn't reach it. She set her plate down and began to jump for it, narrowly missing it by a couple of centimeters.  
  
"Fine then Mr. Baggins if your desire for this loaf of measly bread is so much then you can have it. After all they just brought out more from the kitchen." Hazel turned from him and walked away back to where she had set her plate down.  
  
Frodo laughed and set his prize down on top of his plate. He then went over to the huge table and took a seat between Estella and Merry. At the head of the table sat Saradoc Brandybuck the master of Brandy Hall. Along beside him was his wife, and on his other side sat Paladin and his wife. Bilbo sat beside Mrs. Brandybuck in deep conversation with Mr. Bolger. Saradoc pounded his goblet for silence. Finally everyone was quite as they all turned to hear the traditional Christmas greeting from the master of the house.  
  
"Good evening and Merry Christmas!"  
  
"Merry Christmas!" responded everyone in unison.  
  
"Oh how it warms my heart to see such wonderful and admirable hobbits. Every year I look forward to this day and every year I leave this hall satisfied with another wonderful and successful Christmas. So as is tradition here in Brandy Hall, we will have our feast and then have dancing and be merry till midnight when we will exchange our gifts with one another. Merry Christmas to all and let's dig in!"  
  
Everyone applauded at Saradoc's wonderful words. Frodo needn't be told twice. He and Merry attacked their food at identical times, pretty soon a race had begun between the two of them to see who could finish their food first. Merry won, but as a result had to step out for "a bit of fresh air". Frodo wiped himself with a napkin and took a big gulp from his cup. Beside him an excited conversation was taking place in hushed voices.  
  
"Can't wait."  
  
"Do you think that he is going to notice?"  
  
"Nah, I don't think so anyway it can't fail it is flawless!"  
  
"Oh Hazel I am so excited for you your dream is finally going to come true!"  
  
Frodo listened in without drawing too much attention to himself. Pretending to be extremely interested in a mushroom that was the only remnant of his meal left on his plate he strained his ears to catch every word.  
  
"But Hazel what if someone else walks under the mistletoe at the same time?"  
  
"See you won't draw any attention to that. Your job is to wait until he is under the mistletoe with me. Then you can point it out to the rest of the people around us."  
  
"Do you honestly think that this might prove once and for all whether he likes you or not?"  
  
"Of course, my sister Priscilla says that the only way to know whether if someone loves you or not is by his kiss."  
  
Frodo's fork went deep into the last mushroom as he brought it to his mouth. Obviously this was another one of those "How-to-get-together-with- Merry-in-an-inconspicuous-way" of Hazel's. Frodo chuckled at the thought. This was going to be interesting.  
  
"Frodo."  
  
Frodo turned to find Merry at his side, the girls' conversation immediately stopped. Frodo fought the urge to laugh.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Come there is someone outside asking for you, I think it's a dwarf."  
  
Oops. Frodo had forgotten about that. He excused himself from the table and followed Merry outside. He heard curious whispers behind him; maybe the girls had been curious to see a dwarf. Once outside Frodo stared through the small curtain of falling snow and found there to be a pony and cart. Atop the cart was a rather fat dwarf with a long grey beard. He smiled and waved at Frodo as he stepped down from his post.  
  
"Gloin, Merry Christmas! It's wonderful to see you." Frodo gave the old dwarf a pat on the back.  
  
"Yes well merry whatever to you too young Master Baggins. My, my boy, have you grown taller?"  
  
"I would hope so it's only been about five years since I last saw you."  
  
"Yes well you have grown to be a wonderful looking young dwarf-er- excuse me young hobbit."  
  
Gloin stood back and caught sight of the crowd standing behind Frodo.  
  
"Come boy, where's your manners? Why don't you introduce me to these fine young hobbits, eh?"  
  
"Oh, yes I'm sorry. Um, this is my cousin Meriadoc Brandybuck." Frodo introduced everyone else. It so happened that all of the girls who had been sitting next to him had decided to come along as well. As he went naming them off they each gave Gloin a little curtsey and allowed him to take their hand and kiss it, as a friendly greeting. After introducing Diamond Long Cleave to him Frodo turned to Gloin.  
  
"Um, thanks Gloin. Would you like to come inside I am sure Bilbo would love to see you again."  
  
"Well I suppose I won't mind stopping for a quick chat. But here let me give you a hand with these."  
  
Frodo glanced back at the girls who were watching quietly. Merry was off to the side trying to look at what was hidden inside the cart. Frodo caught Hazel staring at the back of Merry's head for a while. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Um, it's getting too cold out why don't you all go back inside where it is warm. Merry can you tell Bilbo that Gloin is here?"  
  
Merry nodded and he led the way back inside the hall. Hazel looked over her shoulder to catch another glimpse of the cart and was off.  
  
"Are any of those lasses yours?"  
  
Frodo turned abruptly and looked at Gloin. He was wearing a mischievous grin on his face.  
  
"Oh no, they are all just good friends whom I haven't seen in a while. Not since the accident."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
Frodo nodded and then with one more quick glance to make sure no one was watching he helped Gloin take out his Christmas presents from the cart.  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Why do you suppose that dwarf was here?" Laura asked.  
  
"I don't know but it sure was exciting to meet one! I have never met anyone else from a different race before!" cried Estella happily.  
  
"I have. When my family and I go down to Bree to visit our relatives I see dwarves and men all the time." Hazel shrugged.  
  
"Well aren't you the special one?" Diamond rolled her eyes.  
  
"You know I think he is one of the dwarves that accompanied Bilbo on his adventure long ago."  
  
Hazel looked over to the fireplace. There stood Merry talking to Bilbo who was sitting in an armchair smoking his pipe. Bilbo was smiling and laughing at whatever Merry was telling him. Merry wore a smile that could cause anyone to melt.  
  
"Hazel?"  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"Stop drooling you are going to make it seem more obvious than it already is", Diamond scolded.  
  
"Yeah besides remember today we are going to carry out this plan of yours," said Stefine.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" asked Sarette looking a tad bit worried.  
  
Now that Hazel thought about it she wasn't sure if she wanted to go through with it at all. She started to shiver thinking about it. Her heart pounded in her chest. She felt scared and excited at the same time.  
  
"Yes I am sure of it" she replied.  
  
"Well whatever happens we just want you to know that we are here for you, Hazel," said Jaclyn.  
  
"Thanks you guys."  
  
"So when are we going to do it?" Laura asked.  
  
"I say now because Merry has just left Bilbo", Stefine began to fidget with her hair as she always did when she got excited.  
  
"Now?" Hazel was in shock. She wasn't ready for this yet.  
  
"Yes. It's almost eleven." Sarette checked the big grandfather clock.  
  
"But, but shouldn't I wait till it's close to twelve?"  
  
"You know I think she has a point", Diamond said.  
  
"Diamond I hear someone calling your name," said Estella.  
  
They all looked around. It was a hobbit lad named Tarin Elmswood who was gesturing her to join him at the food table. Diamond rolled her eyes. He had had a crush on her since they were really small. He was a year older than her and not very good looking. But being that it was Christmas Diamond went over to where Tarin was standing.  
  
Hazel and the others followed giggling waiting to see what Diamond would do. They were both talking and Tarin offered her a loaf of bread.  
  
"Like she couldn't have gotten that for herself", breathed Sarette.  
  
Diamond kindly refused and he seemed to have asked her to dance. Diamond was really being very nice for she said yes. They began to walk to the other room where the dancing was being held. Hazel then stopped. Why that no good son of a toadstool! He was going to carry out the same plan that she wished to do with Merry on Diamond. Diamond had obviously not figured it out yet for she let him lead her toward the door.  
  
Hazel dashed forward and tried to get across the crowded room. But she was too late. Tarin had stopped at the door and had wrapped his arms around Diamond and kissed her openly on the lips. Hazel watched as Diamond stood there for a second in shock, her eyes wide, and then it happened. Diamond had kicked Tarin between his legs. He let go of her. Hazel felt someone brush past her and saw that it was Pippin. He went over and stood by Diamond's side. Tarin was kneeling on the ground doubled over. Hazel was beside Diamond as well.  
  
"Are you all right?" Pippin asked Diamond looking worried yet angry at the same time.  
  
"Yes Pippin I am fine."  
  
"Why you no good son of a pig!" Pippin bent down and grabbed Tarin by the collar of his shirt. He pulled him up so that Tarin's face was at the same level as his own. Hazel turned around and saw that they were now in the center of a circle. She could see Sarette and Estella amongst the crowd. The others must have gone off to fetch Mr. Brandybuck and Mr. Long Cleave.  
  
Frodo, Merry, and Alastor pushed their way to the front of the crowd and came into the circle. Sarette and Estella followed. Together they hugged Diamond. Diamond was still looking at Tarin, cold fury in her eyes. Pippin still had a hold on Tarin. He grabbed him with only one hand while his other curled into a fist and bent back, ready it seemed to punch Tarin in the face.  
  
"Pippin, no!" cried Diamond. And Merry and Frodo dived forward to hold Pippin back. Alastor went behind Tarin and grabbed him.  
  
Finally Saradoc Brandybuck along with Mr. Long Cleave and Tarin's own father arrived on the scene. Jaclyn and Mrs. Long Cleave raced forward and hugged Diamond. Mr. Brandybuck was furious. Mr. Elmswood apologized over and over again to both the Long Cleaves and Mr. Brandybuck for his son's behavior. As a result the Elmswood family left the party looking both ashamed and furious at their son. Bilbo had meanwhile managed to get to the group and was trying to calm Diamond down.  
  
Hazel couldn't help but smile at Diamond's reaction. It wasn't that she was crying and frightened. It was that she had to be constrained in order not to have gone running after Tarin and punched the living daylights out of him herself. She wouldn't talk to anyone but her pretty face looked fierce. Her lips had thinned and she looked flustered. But they all managed to calm her down, and an aggravated Saradoc Brandybuck announced to everyone that the party should continue as if nothing had happened. Of course now the hall was buzzing with talk about the whole incident.  
  
Most angry of all was Pippin. He stood the rest of the time at Diamond's side as if he was her bodyguard or something. Hazel smiled knowingly. And for the first time Diamond didn't complain about his company. Due to all this it was a quarter to twelve and she had forgotten all about her plan, until Estella had reminded her.  
  
"Are you going to do it?"  
  
"No, `Stella I can't I just can't. Not after what just happened to poor Diamond."  
  
"Oh come on Hazel that was no big deal! It's not like Diamond got hurt, besides she took very good care of herself and I talked to her and she says that you should still go through with it."  
  
"Well I don't know."  
  
"Come on just try, please! It's almost twelve you said you would."  
  
Hazel took a deep breath and relaxed. Yes she had to go through with it she had to, this was her only chance.  
  
Summoning up courage she walked over to where she saw Merry standing and talking to Alastor in the other room. She would ask him to dance with her the last dance of the evening, since she hadn't danced all night. She gazed intently at Merry as he talked to Alastor.  
  
"Here we go", she breathed.  
  
Just as she was entering the other room, someone bumped in to her. She turned a bit shocked and gasped in surprise as she saw none other than Frodo Baggins standing beside her. He had been carrying a mug of hot chocolate and had accidentally bumped into her.  
  
"Oh, sorry," he said stepping away from the puddle of hot chocolate on the floor.  
  
"No it's alright", she answered as she glanced to look at Merry. Then she noticed that Merry was looking at her and so was Alastor. Had Frodo dropped hot chocolate on her and she had not noticed? Then she heard a gasp behind her and saw that Estella, Diamond, Jaclyn, Laura, Stefine, Sarette, and Pippin were all standing and staring at them. Estella's eyes traveled up above Hazel and that was when she realized what had happened. When Frodo had stepped away from the puddle of hot chocolate he ended up standing right beside her.underneath the doorframe.  
  
Frodo was obviously confused. Her face must have shown how shocked she was for he looked at her puzzled. His big blue eyes reflected in the light.  
  
"Couple under the mistletoe!" Pippin cheered.  
What! No, no, no. Pippin! Hazel felt dazed, dizzy, furious, and scared at the same time.  
  
Frodo then looked up above them and saw the tiny plant hovering above them menacingly. His eyes grew wide as he returned his gaze towards her. A crowd had formed around them once the other hobbits had realized who was under the mistletoe. Hazel wanted to scream or something, but it was too late. Even Mrs. Brandybuck and her mother were in the crowd watching with girlish eyes at the pair of them. Someone started up a chant. "Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!"  
  
No, no don't kiss me! No, no no! Hazel was at a lost. She turned to Frodo again and she saw that he was looking at the crowd in utter horror. Her heart started to pound again in her chest. Her palms became very sweaty. She promised herself that whatever she did she wouldn't kiss Frodo. Then the chant died down as everyone watched. The clock then struck midnight. Dong, dong! Its sound echoed across the hall. Then the crowd parted as Saradoc stepped forward wearing a broad smile.  
  
"As is tradition here, we always have a last everything before midnight. A last dance, a last meal, and now we will have the last couple under the mistletoe kiss one another. Not until they have completed tradition we will not exchange presents."  
  
What! That was so unfair! Who made up that stupid rule? Hazel saw Frodo glare at his uncle, who merely chuckled and scooted back into the crowd. The chant started up again. Hazel searched the crowd and her heart fell as she saw that Merry was among those who were chanting.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Hazel turned and saw Frodo edging towards her reluctantly. Hazel raised her eyebrows.oh no.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," he whispered so that no one could hear. Hazel's eyes widened. He wasn't surely thinking about doing it!  
  
"I mean it's just one kiss what can it hurt? Don't get me wrong I wish as much as you do that I didn't have to do this, but it's the only way to get out of here." He shivered at the very thought of it.  
  
He had a point. Hazel nodded. Her throat seemed to have forgotten how to talk for she couldn't utter a sound. Frodo closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. The chanting had by now subsided as everyone watched Frodo bend down. Hazel looked up and her heart pounded in her chest as she saw Frodo get closer and closer. Finally she closed her eyes and trembled as his lips touched her own. It wasn't a real kiss, really, more like a peck on the lips and it only lasted a second. But it seemed to satisfy the crowd for there was a cheer and they all wandered off heading for the Christmas tree to get their presents.  
  
For a minute both Hazel and Frodo didn't know what to say. She was surprised to find herself blushing like crazy. But she was not the only one for Frodo had a deep pink color on his cheeks. She smiled sheepishly, and so did he. Her heart was still pounding inside her but not as bad as it had been before. But then they were both called for and taking one last look at one another they ran off to join their friends. As Hazel reached her group of friends she glanced away and caught Frodo's eye across the room he smiled and so did she. "Oh well, she would try to get Merry next time," she thought. Then she frowned as she met a jumping Estella. That had been her first kiss. 


	8. I Won't SayI'm In Love

D/N: I don't own anything, it all belongs to the brilliant mind of Tolkien.  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone thank you for all your reviews, I really appreciate them. Sorry it has been taking me so long to update, writer's block for a while and then there was all the homework. Oh well. I hope you enjoy! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 8. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)"  
  
"No chance, no way I won't say it, no, no you swoon, you sigh, why deny it, uh-oh It's too cliché I won't say I'm in love"  
  
Hazel looked out the window. Her mind began to drift off back to the night of Christmas Eve. The lights, the music, the caroling, the hot chocolate, and the mistletoe. Hazel was confused. Lately she had been noticing that she was not acting the same. Many times she would catch herself staring out her window towards Brandy Hall. And then her mind would drift off during meal times. Daniela had been teasing her about her "Christmas gift", and Hazel found herself instead of arguing, blushing! What was wrong with her? Was she ill in any way? What were these feelings that she felt now in the pit of her stomach whenever she would take out her sketchbook to stare at his face? She was only admiring at her handiwork, or was she?  
  
Dear Diary, Every day seems to be different. I wake up happy, happier than usual at the fact that it is a wonderful day.  
  
Hazel paused and looked down at her writing, her pen suspended in midair. She sighed and her mind began to dwell on her thoughts. She just couldn't figure it out. Or did she just not want to admit it? It was clear what was happening to her. It seemed that every night before she'd go to bed she would turn the snow globe that Frodo had given her for Christmas and watch the fake snow fall down on the enchanting little village inside the globe. It was one of the best presents she had ever received. Speaking seriously, she had never seen anything like this. It was wonderful giving her new globe a shake and watch dreamily as the snow fell on the perfect minute town.  
  
She would smile at the tiny thatched-roof cottages with their neat little yards and the adorable trees. Then her mind would drift off again and she would find that sometimes if she focused hard enough she could see herself among the flurry of snow. There standing holding her newly born son surrounded by her two little girls. Then she would cook and clean and paint. Later the family would gather by the front door as they watched her husband come down the lane.  
  
His handsome face would be broken out in a grin. He would meet his two running daughters with a hug and kiss for each of them on their forehead. Then he would stand and greet her. His big blue eyes would engulf her with all his love for her and her children. It was perfect and then Hazel knew that nothing could possibly go wrong. The only problem was whenever Hazel would have this fantasy sometimes half-way through the dream she would realize that her husband that she loved so much was not Merry at all, as she wished him to be. It was Frodo. What did this mean?  
  
"What else could it mean?" She grumbled as she finished writing this in her diary. She frowned slightly as she reread what she had just written.  
  
"I feel horrible sometimes, thinking about this. I must be going weak kneed, that I begin to start dreaming about someone else after one kiss! One lousy kiss! I mean how can it be that I start falling for a lad that I have not entirely liked all my life?"  
  
A small voice inside her head answered her. "Don't kid yourself you know that there is something else going on in this. Your stomach does flip flops at the sight of him. Your heart starts to pound in your chest like it has never done before. Whenever someone so much as mentions him, you immediately turn around and listen. You stare for hours on end at that little globe he got you and that picture you drew of him! Face it girl, you fancy the lad and that's that."  
  
"I do not! I certainly do not fancy him!" Hazel retorted frustrated with the small voice.  
  
"Your right, you don't. I think that the more appropriate word would be that you love him," snickered the voice. Hazel felt her cheeks flush and her ears grow red. She swore she could hear the voice giggling.  
  
"What are you talking about I don't love him!"  
  
"Don't love who?" Hazel whirled around to face Daniela where she was standing in the doorway.  
  
"Don't love who?" Daniela repeated coming inside the room and closing the door. Hazel grumbled something about not having any privacy in her own house. Daniela looked at her as she sat down on her bed.  
  
"Out with it Hazel, who don't you love?"  
  
Hazel didn't say anything. She hadn't realized that she had her snow globe in front of her. Daniela eyed her sister knowingly. Hazel suddenly focused her eyes on the snow globe and then immediately placed it by her window in its place.  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hazel snapped turning in her chair.  
  
"You were having an argument weren't you?"  
  
How could she know? "I don't know what in Middle-Earth you are talking about Daniela. Who would I be having an argument with?"  
  
"Oh but you do", Daniela smiled and picked up Hazel's sketchbook that lay on her bed. Hazel gave a gasp and made a motion to swipe it away from her older sister but Daniela held it out of her reach.  
  
"Interesting, very interesting", Daniela continued flipping through the pages of her sketchbook.  
  
"Yes they are all very interesting, Daniela, give it back though please?"  
  
Daniela looked up at her and smiled and held up the sketchbook where Frodo's portrait was smiling up at them. Hazel felt her ears burn even more as she fidgeted uncomfortably in her chair. Daniela smirked, but then lowered the picture and looked at Hazel seriously.  
  
"Hazel it isn't healthy for you to be doing this to yourself. You can't go around having arguments with yourself about whether you love Frodo or not when the evidence is right here in front of you."  
  
Hazel scowled. "Oh really, well let's see it then! If it's right out here in front of me how come I can't see it?"  
  
Daniela smiled and shook her head. "Hazel look at yourself, you must be redder than the holly outside! If that is not enough proof, besides your constant 'snow globe' gazing and your adoration of his portrait then I don't know what is."  
  
Hazel scowled at her. This was enough. "I am not in love with anyone!" She wrenched her sketchbook from her sister's hands, grabbed a couple of pencils, and her scarf and tore out the door, letting it bang loudly behind her.  
  
"No chance no way am I in love!"  
  
She tore down the hall and called to her mom telling her she would be outside and raced out the door. As the door banged loudly behind her, Hazel knew for certain that there was little one could do. The damage was done, Daniela was right. "But I won't admit it to her or to anyone else!"  
  
Hazel figured that she would head towards her favorite hilltop to draw and sketch Buckland under a light blanket of snow. But no sooner had she turned on the crossroads that she ran into someone quite unexpected. It was Alastor Busibody.  
  
"Hello Hazel. How are you?" He greeted cheerfully. Hazel turned to him and managed a smile.  
  
"Fine Alastor, and how are you?"  
  
"A lot happier than you seem to be. What is the matter?"  
  
Ugh why did he have to ask? "Oh it's nothing Alastor I just got into a little argument with Daniela that's all. Nothing to fret over."  
  
"I see."  
  
Hazel hadn't seen Alastor since Christmas.  
  
"Where have you been these past few days I haven't seen you anywhere."  
  
Alastor grinned, his charming grin that usually bewitched most of the girls into a dreamy fantasy. "Did you miss me?" He asked mischievously his eyebrows moving up and down in good humor.  
  
Hazel laughed. "Of course I did. It seems that I haven't spent all that much time with you ever since my birthday party."  
  
Alastor frowned. "Well that most definitely needs to be corrected. Come I will invite you to have a drink down at your father's pub." He held out his arm. Hazel hesitated a moment but then gratefully took his arm. She really had wanted to just sit up there on the hilltop and draw, but then again she needed to take advantage of the time that her friend was here and be with him, who knew how long he would remain in Buckland.  
  
"By the way, Hazel where were you off to anyways?" Alastor inquired.  
  
Hazel looked up at him and remarked about her plan to go atop the hill and sketch. Alastor looked down at her sketchbook that she held close to her.  
  
"Ah, yes those lovely drawings that you gave to us all for Christmas. I plan to place mine in my room. Right there in front of my bed. So that way whenever I wake up and I go to sleep I will stare at it and think about you, every single day. There then you will be in my thoughts with me at the beginning and at the end of each day. But then again who needs a lovely picture to remind one of someone as lovely as yourself?"  
  
Hazel smiled and couldn't help but blush. Yep, Alastor hadn't changed one bit, he was still the big flirt that he had always been ever since he was small. She knew that what he said to her he meant it as a friend nothing more and nothing less.  
  
"Of course it seems to me that I am not the only one that has been thinking about you when they are not here sharing in your good company," Alastor continued conversationally.  
  
Hazel looked at him questionably, her eyebrows raised.  
  
"What you don't know who I am talking about? Of course who else but that lucky lad, that got the blessing to kiss you on Christmas Eve." Alastor smiled and winked.  
  
Hazel stopped walking and stared. "Alastor, you must be joking. Surely you are not talking about Frodo Baggins?"  
  
"The very same, by the way how did that kiss go?"  
  
Hazel blushed scarlet, but tried not to show it. "Never mind, but what about him. He's been talking about me in Hobbiton?"  
  
"Yep, ever since he received your invitation. It's been Hazel this and Hazel that", he said looking at her a little surprised at her reaction.  
  
"But of course he has just been talking rubbish about me?"  
  
"Oh yes, all the many pranks that we pulled on one another, the ones you won and the ones we won. And many more fascinating stories that I had long since forgotten. Of course now the only thing he wants to do is not talk about you. With what happened on Christmas Eve and all. Merry and Pip haven't let the poor guy rest ever since that happened. Which brings me to ask again how did that go?"  
  
Hazel looked down at her feet. Merry was giving Frodo a hard time about it, was that good or bad? And what were these strange jumps of her heart when she had learned that Frodo had started talking about her.  
  
"Hazel?"  
  
"Oh, the kiss, right. Oh you must know that it was absolutely dreadful! Positively one of the worst nights I have ever had in my life! Ugh, the very thought sickens me!" Liar, liar. Shut up!  
  
Alastor threw back his head and laughed. Hazel couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed at the little voice that continued to call her a liar. This was just too crazy.  
  
"It seems to me that someone's going to have to teach our good friend how to kiss properly."  
  
"Well it won't certainly be me!"  
  
Alastor laughed some more and his face looked handsomer than ever in the faint winter light.  
  
"Come let's get to the pub, eh? No use for us standing out here and freezing our fur off." 


	9. For the First Time

D/N: I don't own anything except for my plot and my own made up characters  
  
Author's Note: Thank you everyone once again for reviewing I greatly appreciate it all. I hope that everyone had a good new year, I know I did and that everyone saw ROTK at least once....right? Anyways thank you all for reviewing! This is a long chapter to make up for all the time that I have caused everyone to wait. Thank you for all your patience it will be rewarded in this chapter. Here goes...;)  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 9 "For the First Time  
  
"For the first time I am looking in your eyes for the first time I am seeing who you are, I can't believe how much I see when you are looking back at me..."  
  
"Ha, crown me!"  
  
Frodo grumbled as he placed another checker on top of Merry's newly crowned checker piece.  
  
"It seems to me Frodo that you have lost your touch," smirked Merry as he watched Frodo puzzle over his next move.  
  
"Not entirely," answered Frodo as he ate four of Merry's checkers.  
  
"Crown me!" he exclaimed.  
  
Merry looking crestfallen at losing half of his remaining pieces did so.  
  
"Lucky move"  
  
"Not luck my friend, skill," Frodo smiled.  
  
Merry grumbled something that sounded like the word cheating. The door to the Golden Sun flew open. A cold winter breeze blew inside the cozy room, causing the flames of the fire to flutter. Alastor strode inside the pub. Frodo waved at him to come and sit down with them. Alastor did so pulling off his scarf.  
  
"What are you lads up to?"  
  
"Nothing much Alastor, just playing an old fashioned game of checkers", said Merry.  
  
"Where have you been all day?" Frodo asked amused with Merry's expression as he continued to look at the checker board.  
  
"Oh nowhere really, just been doing a lot of catching up with old friends", said Alastor.  
  
"Ha! Beat that Frodo, now I have three kings", said Merry triumphantly.  
  
"Correction, Merry, now you have two kings and zero pawns", Frodo said smiling evilly.  
  
Merry scowled and crossed his arms. Frodo chuckled and then turned towards Alastor.  
  
"So with which old friends have you been doing some catching up lately?"  
  
Alastor raised his eyebrows and looked at Frodo with a sly little grin. "Wouldn't you like to know? In fact she is coming to join us this evening."  
  
Frodo cocked one eyebrow. Merry stifled a laugh.  
  
"Seems to me Frodo that you can't get rid of her no matter how much you try, huh?"  
  
Frodo glared at Merry.  
  
Merry shrugged and made a move on the checkers board.  
  
"That is fine with me if she is coming, it doesn't bother me at all contrary to what you and your childish minds may think", answered Frodo moving the checkers piece and eating up all but one of Merry's pieces in one single move.  
  
Merry stopped smiling and furrowed his brows looking at the game board. He looked up at Frodo in disbelief, Frodo shrugged and smiled.  
  
"What do you have against her anyways, Frodo?" asked Alastor.  
  
Frodo looked up and stared at him straight in the face. Alastor raised an eyebrow and exchanged looks with Merry. Merry, apparently realized that there was no way he could possibly win the checkers game so he decided to pay his full attention to the conversation.  
  
Frodo hesitated and looked down at his empty cup of ale. "What exactly did he have against her now? If one thought about it, she should be the one that has something against him not him against her. So did that mean that he was just acting this way because that was how he was accustomed to act towards her?"  
  
"Nothing, I don't have anything against her at all", answered Frodo looking up at them both.  
  
"Then why do you act that way whenever we talk about her?" asked Merry. Frodo cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Act how?"  
  
Merry and Alastor exchanged looks again, and Frodo was really beginning to find this irritating. How on earth did he act when they would talk about her?  
  
"Like you haven't noticed how much she has changed..." said Alastor a little awkwardly.  
  
"Like you feel that she has wronged you in a major way that you can never forgive her for", added Merry.  
  
"Hold on back up what are you talking about Alastor?"  
  
"About how much she has changed" replied Alastor avoiding Frodo's eyes, "physically."  
  
Frodo felt his jaw drop. "Physically", he blurted out a little too loudly. Other hobbits from the nearby tables turned in their seats.  
  
Frodo apologized, then lowering his voice he said, "What do you mean physically?"  
  
"Well I would expect that you would treat her differently to how she was when she was ten years old, I mean you can't honestly tell me you haven't taken a second look at her!" Alastor continued talking as if this was the most normal topic in the world.  
  
Frodo looked over at Merry asking him with his eyes, whether he had noticed something else that he, Frodo, hadn't. Merry blushed a bit and then became very interested in his last checkers piece which still sat dangerously between two of Frodo's kings.  
  
"No for your information I haven't! I am surprised that you actually mention that Alastor! And besides what does it matter that she looks different physically it matters how she is inside and she is still the same as how she was when she was ten years old, I think."  
  
"Well to be quite honest with you Frodo I didn't notice it until today when we were taking our little afternoon stroll. I mean I can't believe you haven't noticed it!"  
  
This was becoming ridiculous! "Notice what, Alastor?" Frodo asked exasperated.  
  
Alastor was about to reply when there was a bang as the door to the tavern had opened and closed. Hazel stood there looking into the room, her eyes scanning its inhabitants. Behind her was a smiling Estella who was at the moment taking off her scarf. Hazel spotted them and she and Estella made their way over to their table.  
  
"Fine, let's see what this big change on her is", thought Frodo turning in his chair so that he could get a good glimpse. But it wasn't going to work as well as he thought it would, since the dim light in the room didn't allow him to see her face plainly. Half of it was in shadow. "Blast the stupid light and blast Alastor, too!" Frodo thought.  
  
Alastor and Merry stood up and pulled up some chairs for the two girls. The girls greeted them with a smile and a hug. Frodo noticed that Hazel gave Merry a far longer hug then Alastor. Then she turned towards him. Though the firelight still cast an eerie glow on her features, Frodo could see her bright hazel colored eyes.  
  
She broke out into a smile and he returned it. The dim light was not helping at all and he decided that in order to see her clearly would be to take her outside in broad daylight. He made himself a mental note to do this and prove Alastor wrong. Lost in his thoughts Frodo hadn't realized that she had come closer and embraced him in a hug. He placed his arms around the small of her back and realized for the first time, that for a hobbit she was rather slender. She let go of him and sat down across from him, by Merry (of course). Estella hugged him in greeting as well saying, "Hello Frodo" and sat back down.  
  
"So good of you all to join us", commented Alastor as he winked at Frodo.  
  
Frodo rolled his eyes. He saw that Hazel was watching him and decided not to make anymore rude gestures.  
  
"Oo, checkers who is winning?" asked Estella brightly. She was always the cheery one of the group.  
  
"I am", said Frodo then turning to Merry, "and I will officially win as soon as Merry makes his final move."  
  
Merry frowned and then moved his little checker to the side. Immediately Frodo jumped it and placed the last light colored piece in the pile that he had beside him. Frodo stretched and then placed his arms behind him looking very relaxed and satisfied.  
  
"You cheated", muttered Merry.  
  
"Now, now Meriadoc, don't be a sore loser", scolded Estella. Merry frowned at her.  
  
"Can I play?"  
  
Frodo looked up and saw that Hazel had taken Merry's spot and was now directly across the table from him. Her gaze was a calm one, not like the one he was used to getting from her.  
  
"Certainly, do you know how?" Frodo asked kindly sitting upright in his chair again.  
  
"Of course I do, Frodo Baggins, what you believed that I was born yesterday that I don't know how to play a simple game of checkers?" She exploded furrowing her brows at him. Alastor snorted into his drink.  
  
"Sheesh sorry I asked", muttered Frodo.  
  
Hazel swiped the pile of the tan colored pieces and placed them neatly on the board. Frodo placed his own on the board as well.  
  
"Ladies first", said Frodo.  
  
Hazel narrowed her eyes at him and smiled sarcastically. She was just about to move one of her pieces when-  
  
"How are we doing here everyone alright?" asked a rather high and heavily accented voice.  
  
They all looked up to see a particularly plump hobbit waitress. Her blonde hair was curled in an exaggerated fashion, she wore an apron with food stains around her huge waist and her eyes were so small that she reminded Frodo of one of those fat house cats that always looked like they were upset about something.  
  
"Oh why hello, Master Merry, how good to see you again", the lass mused as she batted her eyelashes at Merry. Though you couldn't really see them very well so it made her look like she either had something in her eye or she was twitching in a spastic form.  
  
"Good even' to you Dandelion, good to see you again too", he answered politely.  
  
"Hello there Dandelion," greeted Estella cheerfully, though Frodo could sense a touch of annoyance in her voice.  
  
Dandelion smiled really wide and then her eyes fell on Alastor and Frodo.  
  
"My, my, it seems that we haven't been introduced yet", she said getting uncomfortably close to Alastor.  
  
"Um, no Dandelion, this is my friend Alastor Busibody and my cousin Frodo Baggins who I am sure you remember. Alastor, Frodo this is Dandelion Proudfoot."  
  
"Nice to meet you", Alastor and Frodo both said together.  
  
Dandelion upon hearing Frodo's name got closer to him and stared at him, in fact she was so close to the point that her nose was almost touching his own. Frodo's eyes shifted from side to side as he smiled nervously at her. Up close he could see that the girl suffered from that skin disease one usually got when they were tweenagers.  
  
"So you are Frodo! My I couldn't recognize you under those two beautiful eyes of yours. Not to mention that adorable little face you got there. Are you sure Master Merry that this is the scrawny little lad I used to know growing up?"  
  
Frodo shot a glance at Merry who looked very amused and was trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"The very same, Dandy", he said.  
  
"Well, then that changes everything", smiled Dandelion as she began to push back some of Frodo's curls behind his ears.  
  
Frodo felt his heart pounding as he sat there helpless not knowing what to do as Dandelion's fat fingers ran through his hair.  
  
"What brings you back here to these parts Mr. Baggins?" Dandy asked starting to stroke his cheek. Frodo was about to answer but he was interrupted.  
  
"He came because he was invited to my 21st birthday party, Dandelion", said Hazel coldly sitting there with her arms crossed.  
  
"Oh well hello there Hazela. I didn't see ya there. What party is that? I don't believe I got an invitation." Dandy turned around to look at Hazel. By this time Frodo noticed that everyone else was watching in surprised silence. Hazel's eyes still stayed on Dandy.  
  
Hazel covered her mouth with her hands and gave a very fake gasp. "Oops, I guess I overlooked you."  
  
Dandy didn't say anything but Frodo was sure that she stuck out her tongue at Hazel, and then her attention was brought back to Frodo.  
  
"Um, excuse me I think I have to step outside for a moment", said Frodo trying to escape.  
  
"Please let me accompany you Mr. Baggins", grinned Dandy.  
  
Frodo looked up at her in utter horror forgetting all about being polite when he heard someone clear their throat very loudly.  
  
Dandelion looked up to see who had interrupted so "rudely". Frodo looked passed her broad shoulders and saw that Hazel was standing up her hands on her hips and what seemed to be sparks flying from her eyes. Dandelion placed her fat hand on Frodo's shoulder in what she must have thought a very gentle motion. Hazel smiled and walked around the table stopping in front of Dandelion and Frodo, sparks still flying.  
  
"Hey there Dandy, um I was wondering when you would stop your flirting and give Mr. Baggins and his friends something to drink? You know start doing your job?"  
  
Dandy took her hand off of Frodo's shoulder. She took a couple of steps towards Hazel and then stopped hands on her hips.  
  
"Excuse me, who do you think you are? You can't order me around like that!"  
  
"Well, I do believe that my father has control of this pub, therefore has control of your job and maybe your whole entire future. So I would suggest for your own good to get your little tray and start doing your job, correctly, or else I am afraid there will be a complaint about your waitressing skills going to my father." Frodo sat there staring his eyes wide open.  
  
Dandy stood there her mouth opened slightly in shock, but then she closed it and smiled. Hazel returned it.  
  
"Well as I was saying what would everyone like to have?" Dandy asked going around the table and getting everyone's orders. She wrote them all down on a little notepad and then turned to walk away. But then she stopped and turned looking at Hazel.  
  
"Oh I am sorry Hazel, I must have overlooked you. What would you like?"  
  
Hazel frowned and narrowed her eyes dangerously. Then she said, "Water please, actually never mind I think I must be going."  
  
And with not another word, Hazel muttered good-bye to everyone and stormed out the door. Frodo watched her go. He noticed that Dandy had a comfortable smirk on her face and then she turned once again to them and said, "I wonder what's gotten into her?"  
  
Frodo frowned up at her. Had this Dandy offended Hazel? Was that why she had left? Then he noticed that Hazel had forgotten her coat which still was hanging on the chair where she had been sitting. It was still the end of December and it would be freezing outside.  
  
"Excuse me", said Frodo as he got up and got her coat from behind the chair and walked out of the pub as well, without a backwards glance.  
  
* ~ *  
  
It was freezing cold outside once Frodo left the pub. He looked up and down the road to see if he could catch a glimpse of Hazel. There. To his right he could see a small figure hurrying away. Quickening his pace he jogged after her. It was a full moon out tonight and it gave him a little bit of light to see by. Every now and then there would be a street lamp of some kind that was used to illuminate a sign, and there under one of these was where Frodo caught up to Hazel. (Author's note: by street lamp I mean like a lamp but they have fire in them you know? I don't expect ya'll to picture there being electricity or anything, but you know what I mean)  
  
"Hazel, wait up!" Frodo called coming up behind her. Hazel turned around and looked at him evidently shocked that he was following her.  
  
And there under the lamp light Frodo got his very first good look at Hazela Mari Underhill. She stood there under the light her eyes reflecting and piercing, underneath her long eyelashes. Her beautiful ebony colored hair lay graciously on her shoulders. Her skin though pale at this time of year looked so soft and creamy that Frodo found it hard to fight the urge to touch it. Her neck was neither too long nor too short; her shoulders were perfect, and her chest... "Ah! What is wrong with me? Why on earth am I looking there?" thought Frodo. But he continued to observe as he scanned her up and down. Her arms were slender not bulky or fat. Though she was a hobbit Frodo noticed that she was not of normal hobbit physique. She was very slender, unnaturally so for a hobbit they would say, but perfect in his eyes. Frodo noticed also too that the top of her head met the bottom of his chin... "So this was what Alastor was talking about?" Frodo thought.  
  
"Frodo?"  
  
Frodo was snapped out of his thoughts and brought back down to earth. How embarrassing how long had he been gawking at her? Hazel was looking at him her eyebrows furrowed. Frodo suddenly felt very nervous and realized to his embarrassment that his ears were glowing red.  
  
"Um, are you alright?" He asked stupidly.  
  
"Oh yes I am fine, it's just that since it was my father's pub I didn't wish to make a scene by starting a fight with that girl. That's the reason why I left so quickly. You see I felt that if I didn't things would get very ugly." Hazel rolled her eyes and turned away avoiding his gaze.  
  
"What do you have against that girl?"  
  
"Oh it's nothing. Kind of stupid really, she and I were sort of rivals after you left. We were always competing against one another in a variety of things. Trying to see who could invite the most friends to a tea party, things of that sort. You see she liked Merry as well. And I couldn't have that so I took action. So we have never really quite made up for all the little competitions and name callings we did to one another. I was really shocked when I heard that my father had hired her as a waitress at the Golden Sun. Ever since then I have avoided going to that place."  
  
"Oh, I see. So then um, why did you go today?"  
  
"Well for one thing Alastor had invited me to go get a drink earlier today there and I couldn't refuse. And then when I sat in there I realized by avoiding the place I was letting her win so when Alastor invited me to stop by again this evening I said yes, without any hesitation. Just to prove to her that I was no longer going to let her stubbornness and absurdity take effect on my life." Hazel shivered in the cold. Frodo then remembered the coat that he was holding in the crook of one arm, her coat. "Smooth", he thought to himself, frustrated.  
  
"Oh here, you forgot your coat when you stormed out of there", he said. He offered it to her. Hazel smiled and then turned around; Frodo realized what he had to do and helped her into it. At one point their hands brushed and Frodo felt a chill run up and down his spine. What was the matter with him?  
  
"Thank you, Frodo. I am glad you came out here and gave it to me. I probably would have otherwise frozen to death returning home." Hazel smiled at him, Frodo smiled back.  
  
"Do you wish for me to accompany you home?" Frodo offered.  
  
"I'd like that", Hazel answered. They began to walk off leaving the shelter of the light of the lamp. It was rather gloomy outside and getting colder by the minute.  
  
"Anyways so when I saw that she was badgering you and Alastor like that I knew that I had to come in to the rescue", continued Hazel as if their conversation had never stopped.  
  
"Yes, and for that I thank you, I am sure Alastor is thankful too. Does she always act that way towards others?"  
  
"No, only to the more good looking lads of the Shire", replied Hazel.  
  
Frodo halted. Good looking lads of the Shire? Hazel stopped and turned around; obviously she hadn't realized what she implied when she had said that.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"What did you say again?"  
  
"She only acts that way towards the good looking lads of the Shire. What's wrong with tha-oh!" Hazel stopped. Her eyes grew wide.  
  
Frodo smiled at her shock. He could tell that she was frustrated with herself. She looked like she could kick herself if that was physically possible.  
  
"Um by that I meant that um..."  
  
"I am considered one of the more good looking lads of the Shire?" Frodo asked teasing her. Hazel frowned.  
  
"No, I mean yes, but no, I mean." Hazel was obviously lost for words. She had been trapped by her own mouth.  
  
Frodo drew closer to her and stopped laughing trying to put on a debonair look. He drew closer to her and grinned. "So do you think I am good looking, Miss Underhill?" he said in a low toned voice.  
  
She smiled and playfully punched him on the arm. "Shut up, Frodo Baggins. You know sometimes your head can be filled with such hot air. You know very well yourself and I don't need to tell you that other lasses in the Shire find you attractive in your own weird big eyed way. So don't act like you didn't know it already."  
  
"Yes I have heard that comment before, but to hear it from your lips is a whole new matter", replied Frodo still carrying on with the debonair low voice.  
  
"Oh and why is that?"  
  
Frodo stopped. Choosing his words carefully he replied "Because my dear, to hear that I am good looking from a fair and stubborn maid such as yourself is very flattering and quite unheard of."  
  
Hazel's smile disappeared as well. "What did you just say?"  
  
"That you are stubborn", answered Frodo dropping the act.  
  
"No, no the other thing."  
  
"That you are fair. Come now Hazel, I can't have been the only person who has told you that before?"  
  
Frodo raised an eyebrow and looked at her knowingly. He saw to his satisfaction that she was blushing scarlet, also that her smile was so wide that he could see that she had dimples.  
  
"Well Mr. Baggins, I thank you for your company, and for returning my coat to me. And...for your compliment." Hazel blushed again.  
  
Frodo had been so wrapped up in the conversation that he hadn't realized that they were already at her very door step. No, not yet.  
  
"Your quite welcome, Miss Underhill and um thank you once again for being my heroine today and saving me from that dreadful ogre. By the way you owe me a checkers game."  
  
Hazel smiled again showing off her dimples. "Anytime Mr. Baggins. And I will look forward to our next checkers match." Then Hazel got quite again and she looked down at the floor. "Well um good night."  
  
Frodo stared at her longingly. "No don't go just yet", said a voice in his head. Frodo wanted to go but leave at the same time. What was happening to him? He felt that he couldn't leave without touching her. So he placed one finger gently underneath her chin and raised it so that her eyes were level with his own.  
  
"Good night", he said. Then he took her hand in his own and raising it to his lips he kissed it. His heart was hammering inside of him like it had never has before. He held her gaze a while longer and then turned and left. He heard the door open and he stopped to look back. Hazel was standing at the door and she was smiling. Frodo smiled back and with a gesture from his hand said good bye and walked back to Brandy Hall, his head a jumble of confused thoughts, but one thought stuck in his mind. "I never knew that dimples could be so beautiful."  
  
Author's Note: Aw! I personally really am proud of myself for this chapter. Over the weekend I saw plenty of romantic comedies to inspire me. Tehe! Well I hope everyone all enjoyed it and please be sure to review! Thanks! 


	10. Something There

D/N: I don't own anything except what is mine! My own my precioussssss! (sorry)  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone thank you for reviewing I really enjoyed reading what everyone had to say. Okay this chapter is a bit short but it's a chapter that will answer many questions and might possibly uproot new ones.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch.10 "Something There"  
  
"Well, who'd have thought? Well bless my soul. Well who'd had known, Well who indeed? And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own? It's so peculiar. We'll wait and see a few days more, there may be something there that wasn't there before."  
  
The door slammed shut behind him.  
  
"Well, I wonder what got in to him."  
  
"Just take off his order from your list Dandy."  
  
"As you wish Master Merry, I will be right back with your drinks!"  
  
Dandelion Proudfoot or Proudnose as Estella and Hazel liked to call her left the table leaving the three friends behind to their private talk.  
  
"So what do you think?" Estella asked looking from one hobbit lad to the other.  
  
"Well, me dear Ms. Bolger, I believe our plan is working and a little better than we had hoped," Alastor said.  
  
"And we didn't have to do anything about it but just sit here and watch Hazel tell off Dandy. We were fortunate that she was our waitress or otherwise we would have never produced such good results by ourselves." Merry said.  
  
Dandelion came back with what they had all ordered and with a wink at Alastor, she was gone. Alastor sighed relief, for he had been fearing another obvious attack.  
  
Estella took her mug and looked inside thinking about what Hazel had said and the look that Frodo had given Dandy after Hazel had left the pub.  
  
"I hope Pip, pays attention and comes back soon, I am just dying to know what happened between them", exclaimed Estella.  
  
Merry snorted, "Pippin the spy, whoever thought of that one should really get some sense slapped into him."  
  
Estella then took her hand and lightly slapped Merry across the face.  
  
"Ow! Geez what was that for?" Merry demanded rubbing the spot on his cheek.  
  
"Because you were the one who chose Pip in the first place. I was only complying with what you had said." replied Estella giggling.  
  
"Oh yeah, but I didn't mean it literally!"  
  
Alastor laughed at this. The five friends had been planning to hook their two other friends together ever since that day after the mistletoe incident. Though they weren't exactly sure why, they were convinced that Frodo and Hazel were perfect for one another. So far they hadn't thought much of anything yet. But they would all five meet secretly and give daily reports trying to figure out how to go about the job properly and in the most discreet way possible. So far their only actions had been watching and dropping hints here and there of what they had seen or heard from their own eyes.  
  
Estella and Diamond had kept the lads informed about what Hazel had told them about Christmas Eve, what Hazel had said about Frodo and the actions she took whenever Frodo's name was mentioned or the topic of a conversation. Alastor, Merry and Pippin meanwhile had kept a close watch on Frodo.  
  
Since Merry and Pippin happened to be living with Frodo they had taken turns to going inside his room and rummaging for anything that they could find that could be of some use in their quest. Merry was the only one who had found that Frodo kept the painting that Hazel had given to him for Christmas (a pleasant view of Buckland in the spring from a hilltop) in a drawer carefully wrapped. And sometimes if he was quick enough and sly enough to notice he could sometimes see Frodo taking it out every once in a while and admire it. Though this was never much evidence of anything since Frodo had always been very fond of art in all its forms, so whenever this occurred one could never tell what Frodo's intentions were with the painting. Pippin's job was to walk the streets in case if for whatever reason something would happen behind the friends' back he would be sure to see it, but that idea was driven away almost instantly since it seemed that the pair seemed to be quite content indoors.  
  
Meanwhile for Alastor it was his job for him to meet either one of them "accidentally" and start up a conversation dropping hints here and there such as: "He's been talking about you" or "Have you noticed how much she has changed" (sound familiar?)  
  
The only thing that was wrong with their plan was that nothing much was happening between the two lucky friends. So something needed to be done, something drastic! Something that they positively wouldn't see coming.  
  
Pippin came back to the inn, shivering from the cold outside. They called him over to the table and he quickly sat down and gulped down all of Merry's ale. Merry frowned at him and punched in him in the arm. "No time for that, Merry, I've got news."  
  
Estella, Alastor and Merry all leaned in to hear what Pippin had to say. Diamond, who couldn't be there due to a previous engagement, would be missing out on a lot of things, thought Estella. Pippin rubbed his hands together trying to get them warm. Then taking another gulp this time from Alastor's mug he began.  
  
"So after standing outside in the freezing cold, for what seems to be ages, the two lovebirds finally come out. First Hazel and she is coatless and completely disturbed. She storms out of the inn not daring to glance back and she trudges onwards through the snow. Then a couple of minutes later Frodo comes out of the pub he looks around for a moment and then he spots her and heads after her. They stop at the base of a lamp post where the light shines down on the pair of them and then.could I have some more ale, thanks."  
  
"Pippin!"  
  
"Sorry Estella, I was thirsty anyways he comes up to her and begins to talk to her. I don't want to get to close because I am afraid that they are going to catch me or hear me because of the snow lying about on the ground. It seems that they are talking about what happened inside the pub, then it takes Frodo forever to figure out that he should offer her, the coat. And you will enjoy this 'Stella, she turns around and allows him to put on the coat for her!"  
  
Estella squealed. All three lads turn and look at her, but she can see that they are all happy about this turn of events.  
  
"Anyways they begin to walk on forward talking about many things, until then they stop and then Frodo seems to be teasing Hazel about something and then they continue to walk some more. She playfully punches him in the arm and before you know it they are in front of her front door. You know since she lives so close to the inn and all. Then this is where they become silent and don't say another word. Now by this time I was actually in the bushes very close to where they were at and it is a wonder they neither heard me nor saw me, but I was very close by and I saw the look that Frodo had on his face.  
  
"What did it look like?" Estella asked leaning farther than was necessary. Pippin paused for a drink. Estella felt that if he wouldn't stop drinking she would force it out of him.  
  
"He looked at her sort of regretful like. It's rather hard to explain, but then she says something like 'well um, good night'. Then Frodo says good night too and then he looks at her for about ten seconds without blinking it seems and picks up her hand and kisses it."  
  
Estella felt her cheeks stretch under the stress of her huge smile.  
  
"And then he turns and just leaves. Hazel stands there a couple of minutes afterwards just standing there, I think she is in shock and then she makes to go inside the door. They stop one last time to look at each other and smile and then she closes the door and Frodo walks away. And I swear I have never seen Frodo skip in his life, but I think his walk was the closest thing to a skip that I have ever seen."  
  
"Excellent, so it seems that Mr. Baggins has fallen for our Ms. Underhill and all by themselves too." Alastor stroked his chin as he said this.  
  
"Yes, and for that I give my cousin many compliments!" Merry exclaimed raising his empty mug of ale.  
  
"I wonder what made them change their minds about it", said Pippin.  
  
"Now remember everyone, we all agreed that when we would do this, we would not jump to conclusions and make any rash actions. We aren't entirely sure about what is going on between them." Estella said trying to calm everyone down.  
  
"Precisely, that is why that will be your job to find out, Estella, yours and Merry's. You both have to talk to them and inquire about tonight and see how much they say about it. And if we are lucky they might actually cooperate and say the truth this time." Alastor said leaning back in his chair.  
  
"And if we are not so lucky?" Estella asked one eyebrow raised.  
  
"Well, then we will have to wait a few more days and see what comes out of this blossoming new relationship", grinned Pippin.  
  
"One thing is for certain though," said Merry looking at all of them with a grin, "there is definitely something there in the look of their eyes that wasn't there before." 


	11. I Could Fall In Love

D/N: I don't own any of the LOTR characters or the LOTR plot (if only right) just my own characters and my plot and ideas  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone I am so happy that you guys are enjoying my story. Keep it up your reviews are what keep me going! Sorry I haven't updated lately.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 11 I Could Fall In Love "I could fall in love with you I could only wonder how touching you would make me feel but if I take that chance right now tomorrow will you want me still? So I should keep this to myself and never let you know."  
  
Hazel closed the door. She could feel her cheeks blushing red. She glanced at herself in the mirror hanging from the wall. Her smile had never looked wider.  
  
"I hope I didn't look this silly", she thought.  
  
In the mirror she swore she could see Frodo's face looking at her the same way he had looked at her after he had kissed her on the hand. Her stomach did a couple of back flips and she swore her heart would awake the whole house it was thumping so loud in her chest.  
  
"I must write this down!" She exclaimed and she raced for her room. Once there she grabbed her diary and began.  
  
Dear Diary Can it be? Tonight has been so strange and unexpected. I can't believe I can do this! I mean first of all when Dandelion "Proudnose" starts to attack poor Frodo and Alastor with her despicable display of what she believes courting is, I feel this rage of jealousy I mean I felt like reaching over the table and slapping her! Not that she didn't deserve it or anything but still I feel surprised and shocked at myself on the way that I acted! But that is nothing compared to how I acted after I left the pub! I left in such a hurry that I completely forgot my coat and I was freezing after I leave who should come out into the frost after me but Frodo Baggins! He calls for me to talk to him under a lamp. And there he just stands there staring at me as if he has never seen me before. Mind you diary I felt so uncomfortable under the gaze of those big blue eyes of his. But then he asks me about what happened back there in the pub and I answered him truthfully. Or as much as I could tell him without letting him know that I was jealous. I notice that he is carrying my coat and I guess he realizes it is freezing cold and he offers me the coat. And then diary, I don't understand this part, but I turn around and allow him to put the coat on me! And at one point our hands brush and I feel so warm that I don't need my coat anymore. He offered to accompany me home and I accepted. I decided to be nice with him and so I continued on with the conversation as if we had never stopped talking. And then I say the stupidest, truest thing in all of Middle-Earth. When Frodo asked on whether Dandy acted that way towards everyone, what do I say? "Oh no she only acts that way towards the more good-looking lads of the Shire" After I realized what I'd said I felt as if I could kick myself if that were physically possible. Frodo then began to tease me about it and tried to put on a debonair sort of voice and manner, which he can't pull off at all. But it is quite humorous. Anyways we reach my front door and I don't want for him to leave. We say good night and he kisses me on the hand I find myself wishing that I should have said something. Anything to make him stay! Ugh! But then I open the door and look back and find he is staring back at me! He smiles and oh how I wish to run to him and never let him go!  
  
But what if I had done that? What does that mean? Does it mean that I love Frodo Baggins more than I do Merry? And what about Merry I didn't look at him at all tonight! Is that a good thing or a bad thing? And what about Frodo and his mysterious crush, huh? Does he have a lass he is courting back in Hobbiton? How much has he changed? I really don't know anything about him and his life in Hobbiton. For all I know he could be a scoundrel that finds a way to attract other lasses and leaves them to be with another all in the same week! But no he doesn't seem the type, but then again how should I know I am clearly falling for him, and I might be one of those girls that he plays games with. This is crazy I am becoming delirious, this is Frodo that we are talking about he is not like that. Still, I must not act too rationally I must discover what his true feelings for me are and then I will make my move, if there is a move for me to make, or rather the real question is if I can make a move successfully without falling flat on my face. There is no sense in my rushing to break my heart! So I'll just keep this to myself, and not let anyone know anything not even the slightest hint that I am falling for him. Not even Estella or Diamond will know. Estella will want to know what happened last night but I won't tell her a word. * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
"So what happened after you stormed out of your father's pub last night?" You seemed frightfully upset." Estella, Diamond, and Hazel were having afternoon tea at Estella's house. Diamond had just been told on the events that had happened in the pub, and now both Estella and Diamond wished to know what had happened afterward. Hazel took a sip of her tea trying to put on a nonchalant air.  
  
"Oh, well as you may have realized it I was absolutely furious at how Dandy had treated two of my good friends, so I was thinking about that when I hear my name being called. I turn around and it is Frodo Baggins running up behind me carrying my forgotten coat. And thank goodness too because it was freezing.  
  
"What did Frodo say?" Estella inquired.  
  
"Oh nothing he just mentioned about my coat and how I had forgotten it, a very observant lad that one. I thanked him for it and then he thanked me for saving him from the merciless Proudnose and I said your welcome. Then he offers to accompany me home and I accepted because you know I have never been very fond of walking by myself at night."  
  
Diamond and Estella seemed to keep on wanting to say something but they both zipped their mouths. Hazel waited patiently for them.  
  
"Well then we began talking about Proudnose again and he cracked a joke about her in which we both laughed and then we were at my front door. We said good night that I owed him a checkers game and he kissed me on the hand and left."  
  
As Hazel finished she took another sip of her tea and smiled at the frown on Estella's face.  
  
"Is that all?" she asked.  
  
Hazel nodded. "Yes, that is all. Why?"  
  
"Well." began Estella but Diamond cut her short.  
  
"Well it's just a bit shocking to hear you talk about Frodo without you once insulting him or laughing about his faults."  
  
"Oh well you see I think that I should give up on being so immature about those matters. Besides all this complaining about him really tires one out, biscuit?"  
  
Diamond took the offered biscuit from the plate and exchanged looks with Estella.  
  
Hazel smiled and took another sip of her tea.  
  
* ~ * ~  
"By the way Frodo what happened last night after you left the pub?"  
  
Merry, Pippin, and Frodo were sitting in Brandyhall holding a chess match. Merry and Pippin were playing while Frodo watched.  
  
"Oh, nothing really, I just gave her back her coat and accompanied her back to her house." Frodo shrugged Pippin threw Merry a doubtful look. Merry nodded slightly and attempted again.  
  
"Did you notice what Alastor was talking about?"  
  
Frodo looked up from the chess board and stared at Merry coolly.  
  
"Yes actually I did", he answered.  
  
Pippin smiled. "And."  
  
"I have to admit she looks pretty good", Frodo said.  
  
It was Merry's turn to get frustrated.  
  
"Well, did you two talk about anything?"  
  
"Just what had happened at the pub. She made a comment about how Dandy only acted that way towards the more good-looking hobbits of the Shire."  
  
Merry raised an eyebrow. "Really?"  
  
"Yes, she didn't realize what she had implied at first but once she did, she looked most frustrated with herself." He chuckled at remembering the look on Hazel's face. "It was very amusing."  
  
Merry laughed. Now we are getting somewhere he thought.  
  
"What did you say?" he inquired.  
  
"I teased her about it and she just rolled her eyes. I told her we needed to play a checkers match and then I said good night." Frodo paused deep in thought. Merry turned to look at Pippin, who was frowning.  
  
"Have you ever noticed that she has dimples?" Frodo asked after a brief moment of silence.  
  
"Yes", answered Merry grinning, "And rather cute ones at that."  
  
Frodo smiled and got up. "I think I am going to take an afternoon nap, if you don't mind."  
  
"No not at all", answered Merry as he watched his cousin walk out the door. When he was out of earshot Merry hastily turned back to Pippin and exclaimed, "Well what do you think of that Pip? 'Have you ever noticed that she has dimples?' If that is not proof that he fancies her I don't know what is! What's wrong?"  
  
Pippin looked up from the board again still wearing the same frown.  
  
"Pip, what is it?"  
  
"Dandy, never acts that way towards me."  
  
* ~ * ~  
Frodo left the company of his cousins in order to be alone with his thoughts. Closing the door to his room softly behind him, Frodo with the aid of a candle pulled out the picture that Hazel had given him. The details were so fine and the colors so bright and natural. Frodo took great pleasure in trying to see if the latter had hidden something in her painting, like some other Shire artists did. But of what he was looking for he did not know himself.  
  
Frodo's mind drifted back to the night before and to his reaction in seeing Hazel in a new light, literally. She was just so different now, but yet still the same 10 year old girl. Of course Frodo could not discern his feelings for her at the present moment, not yet anyways. For now his head was a jumble of confused thoughts and emotions. Having never had feelings for anyone since his departure from Buckland Frodo had forgotten what it felt like to have butterflies inside one's stomach. Even more confused was he about how to show his feelings, especially since he had not been able to before.  
  
His mind drifted back to a time when he was 10 years old. Just before his departure from Buckland. At that point in time of his life he had felt so alone and unable to confide in anyone about his pain and longing for his parents. There had been no one to count on except for one person. The only other person who at the time had also endured a heavy loss, the loss of a grandmother. And so it was that Frodo Baggins found comfort and kindness in Estella Bolger.  
  
Though Estella was nine at the time Frodo couldn't help but feel close to her. Sometimes they would seek each other out in secret and sit under a willow tree by the Brandywine River. There they would exchange each other's sorrows and troubles. Estella had always been a good listener from the beginning. Her grandmother had died of an illness that past winter and it had been a very hard blow on the family, but more so for Estella for she loved her grandmother very much and visited her almost every day.  
  
Frodo remembered how they used to blush at the sight of each other knowing that they held each other's secrets in their hearts. Frodo had never told anyone what Estella had told him, and he was pretty sure that Estella had done the same. Frodo never really knew what Estella's feelings were for him, but he knew that every time he saw her, his stomach would do flip flops and he was afraid of embarrassing himself in front of her. But that was almost ten years ago.  
  
About two years later Bilbo had come to take Frodo with him to live at Bag End. Frodo left behind his family and friends and his only crush that he had ever had. On his return to Buckland he thought Estella louder, more outgoing, and sillier than he remembered, yet still and excellent listener. Not once had Estella approached Frodo and mentioned their childhood secret meetings under the willow tree since he had returned although every once in a while she would give him a knowing smile and wink. Frodo would return such gestures and not think about it again for the rest of the day. But now all Estella was to him was a very good friend, for he had long ago gotten over his puppy love for her and had not taken interest in another lass since. This was mostly due to the fact that all the lasses he knew in Hobbiton tended to be narrow minded and silly, even much so for normal hobbit standards. Now it was usually the lasses that would bat their eyelashes at him or smile goofily at him as he walked by. Frodo would smile and politely say hello, and continue on his way.  
  
But now it was different. For now he was the one falling for the lass.  
  
"And a rather feisty one at that", Frodo murmured to himself as he smiled and gently put the painting away. As he laid his head on his pillow willing for sleep to come he decided to not to jump to any conclusions about this, or let anyone know until the gibberish inside his head would make sense. He smiled once more thinking about Hazel's infuriated face over "the good-looking lads of the Shire" incident and fell asleep. 


	12. open to suggestions

Author's Note: Sorry that I haven't updated lately I left the floppy disk at school over spring break! Anywho plz forgive me  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 12  
  
"Hazel! There is someone at the door for you!" Mrs. Underhill called.  
  
Hazel jumped from her seat where she had been working on her newest portrait, and ran to the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she flew past the other doors in the hall. She skidded to a halt in front of the hall mirror. A girl with static dark hair and a lopsided ponytail stared back.  
  
Hazel quickly took out the elastic bond from her mess and tried to re due it once more, but to no avail. She sighed "oh well" and then walked promptly to the door and with one last tug at her hair she opened it.  
  
"Hi, Hazel!"  
  
"Oh, Pippin it's you", said Hazel with a slight frown.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry were you expecting Prince Charming?"  
  
"Oh no Pippin, it's not that at all Come in."  
  
"That's alright even if you were expecting tall, dark, blue-eyed, and handsome then I am afraid you would just have to settle for short, blonde, green-eyed and handsome." Pippin moved his eyebrows in good humor.  
  
Hazel smiled feeling slightly embarrassed at looking so disappointed in not seeing her-  
  
"Wait whom was I expecting Pippin?" She asked eyebrow cocked  
  
"Oh I don't remember what I said. Um, tall, dark and handsome, I believe." Pippin smiled and headed off into the living room.  
  
Hazel frowned for she had been sure that he had mentioned something about blue-eyed in there somewhere. She shrugged and decided that her fantasies were getting to her.  
  
"Would you like some tea, Pippin?" Hazel called.  
  
"Oh yes, please", Pippin called back. Hazel smiled and muttered, "Of course". She went into the kitchen where the tea kettle was already on the stove. She started to search inside the pantry looking to see if Danielle had made any crumpets the other day. Yes, she had.  
  
"So to what do I have the pleasure of you visiting Master Took?"  
  
"Oh, I was just in a particularly jolly mood today, and I decided to stop by to see someone that I haven't seen in a while."  
  
Hazel cocked an eyebrow. "I also have a message for you from an anonymous writer it seems."  
  
Hazel stuck her head from the kitchen and looked over to where Pippin was sitting. Pippin sat on the couch as if he were king of the world. He had his hand lifted in the air holding a white envelope. Hazel's eyes lit up with expectation and hope. From the way that Pippin was talking about this she could be only too sure who the letter was coming from.  
  
The tea kettle boiled and Hazel was snapped back into the kitchen. She hurriedly got together the tea cups and the saucers and managed to push over a basket filled with apples with her elbow that went crashing down to the floor.  
  
"Toadstools!" she cried as she hurriedly picked them up.  
  
Pippin in the meanwhile was smiling at the noise he heard from the kitchen. He didn't need to turn around to know that Hazel was ecstatic over the letter that he was about to give her. He looked at the envelope and turned it to the front where the name was printed. There was the name Hazel written in fancy way that only one person could do.  
  
Hazel appeared from the kitchen carrying a tray laden with tea and some crumpets it seemed. Pippin smiled and licked his lips, he hadn't realized how hungry he was, after all it had been a complete hour since he had had his elevenses. Hazel set the tray down on a table in front of him and asked him about how many sugar cubes. Pippin grinned and asked for two.  
  
Hazel could tell what Pippin was doing. "He knows very well who that letter is from, and he is not going to give it to me till I start to beg for it. But he will not do that to me, no sir." She thought as she served the hot tea and gave it to her guest.  
  
Pippin gladly took the cup of tea with a nod of thanks and sat back sipping from his cup. Hazel sat down in the couch beside him and smoothed down her skirt trying very hard not to let her smile show which was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She tried hard also to not look at the envelope that Pippin was playing around with in his left hand. She too took her tea and sipped it as ladylike as possible.  
  
"Crumpet, Pippin?"  
  
"Yes, thank you", he said.  
  
"Ugh come on Pippin give me the letter!" thought Hazel.  
  
Pippin ate his crumpet at the slowest possible speed, clearly they weren't going to get anywhere near the letter till she, Hazel would say something.  
  
"So Pippin, who wrote the letter?" Hazel inquired as casually as possible, though there was a crack in her voice. "I am not entirely sure. You see I found it on my desk in Brandy Hall this morning with a letter on top, telling me to deliver it do you. And so I did when I found the time."  
  
"Yes, and I thank you for it. May I see it?"  
  
Pippin held out the letter to her. Hazel was just about to grab it when Pippin swiped it away from her outstretched fingers playfully. Hazel grinned, good naturedly, and tried again. Pippin repeated his motion with a laugh. This went on for a good five times until finally Hazel, not thinking that it was funny anymore, wrestled Pippin to the ground for the letter.  
  
"Ah, yes I see", she muttered as she looked at the unfamiliar scrawl that formed her name. "You know Pip, I am surprised that you didn't open the letter first. It is quite unlike you to keep such things in tact." Hazel meant it as a joke and as a serious observation. It was a known fact that the future Thain was as curious as any kind of cat.  
  
"Oh well, you see I am turning to a new league, Hazel. You know not destroy everything that I touch, or in this case open them." Pippin laughed uneasily.  
  
Hazel smiled and looked at the envelope. She was just about to open the seal when Pippin jumped up from his seat and said, "Well I suppose you don't need me anymore. I will talk to you later Hazel. My work here is done." And swiping at the remaining crumpet on the tray Pippin raced to the door and closed it with a bang.  
  
Hazel jumped at the sound of the door banging shut. Okay Pippin, don't make it too obvious she thought looking back at the envelope with even hungrier eyes than before. She carefully unsealed it and took out a single piece of parchment from the inside. The writing was very fine and with plenty of curves and loops, it was very pretty. Hazel's heart gave a leap when she quickly looked down at the bottom to see the signature that was written at the bottom. Frodo B.  
  
Looking around quickly and ignoring the tea cups and the tray, Hazel ran to her room and shut the door, clutching the letter to her chest. Once inside her room she threw herself on top of her bed and began to read.  
  
Dear Hazel,  
  
I know it may come as a shock for you to be receiving a letter from me. I am though eternally grateful that since you are reading this you took the time to actually read it instead of throwing it into the fire or the trash. Ever since we first saw each other again at your birthday party I have felt that our relationship has grown stronger than how it was before then. Seeing that it is, I was wondering if you would be interested in keeping our relationship growing. Bilbo and I are leaving the day after New Year's to return to Hobbiton and I feel that we haven't spent as much time together as we should or as I feel we should. I am aware that we each have our own plans for New Year's Eve, but it would mean a lot to me if you could visit me at The Knoll at 12:00 a.m. I know it is a bit late, but I really hoped that we could spend New Year's together. You don't have to answer this letter just come to The Knoll, if you wish, and if you don't come that is also perfectly fine as well. I hope to see you there, and if not and I don't get the chance to see you before we leave I hope you have a wonderful start of the New Year and my blessings towards your family.  
Yours Sincerely,  
Frodo B.  
  
Hazel sat there for a good five minutes contemplating over what she had just read. Could it be possible? That Frodo Baggins was asking her to meet him at The Knoll on the New Year's Eve! Alone! Hazel got excited shivers just thinking about the prospect. What was she to do? She would of course have to meet him, and then maybe... Hazel gripped the letter tightly and read it again and again until she had it practically almost memorized. Yes there was no doubt about it Frodo Baggins was asking her to meet him at The Knoll and they would be alone, very alone.  
  
Hazel gave a belated squeal of delight now all she needed to do was figure out how to get over there without her family realizing it. And it wouldn't matter if they would inflict punishment on her. It would all be worth it to spend the first beginnings of the New Years with Frodo Baggins.  
  
"Hazel did you leave this mess here? Come pick it up right now!"  
  
"Coming mother", she called back dreamily.  
  
At this point Hazel did not care how many dishes she had to pick up or if she had to cook the whole entire dinner herself. Tonight would be a night to remember nothing could dampen her spirits. Carefully storing the letter inside her journal she skipped to the living room, causing Mrs. Underhill to give her a puzzled look. Soon while washing the tea cups and helping her mother in the kitchen for the preparations Hazel found herself humming a merry tune.  
  
Twice she dropped a pot on the floor and twice her mother scolded her. But Hazel just smiled and answered, "I am sorry, mother" and quickly bent down and picked up the pot.  
  
"Now Hazel I want you to peel some potatoes, your sister is bringing her family over and it is going to be a full house tonight. I am going to need all the help I can get before the night is over." Mrs. Underhill instructed as she herself was busy taking care of the large turkey that she had bought for the occasion.  
  
"Hazel, Hazel are you listening to me? Hazela, stop acting like you are deaf did you hear me?"  
  
"Yes, mother."  
  
"Honestly girl, you are acting silly today", mumbled Mrs. Underhill shaking her head. 


	13. Waiting for Tonight

Author's Note: Ok so sorry everyone I had promised that I would update soon and look at me... Oh well I am sorry I promise you this chapter will be a long one and I will make up for your patience and long wait...  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 13 Waiting for Tonight "Waiting for tonight, oh when you would be here in my arms waiting for tonight, oh I've dreamed of this love for so long waiting for tonight"  
  
"And so around me there were these three monstrous trolls..." exclaimed Bilbo looking around at his young hobbit audience. Frodo was standing in a corner watching him with a grin written on his face. Bilbo continued on with his story, "and so they were all arguing so much over what to do with us, that they didn't realize that the sun was coming up over the horizon and...poof! And turned them all into stone!"  
  
The young hobbits all gasped at Bilbo's comment. Frodo grinned once more looking at Bilbo who seemed to be enjoying himself. Bilbo dismissed his audience saying, "Your Uncle Bilbo needs to catch his breath." It was then at this time that Frodo confronted him. Bilbo was calmly sipping his tea when Frodo kneeled beside his chair.  
  
"That story never gets old", said Frodo looking at Bilbo's old tired face. Bilbo smiled.  
  
"You know Frodo, I don't think I will never get tired of telling that story, just as long as there is a ready ear to hear it."  
  
"Well, you will always have a ready ear right here, whenever you feel like telling", answered Frodo and he smiled.  
  
"Yes, well what are you doing here, Frodo my dear boy, talking to an old hobbit like myself? This is your last night here in Buckland shouldn't you be out there having fun, enjoying your cousins?"  
  
"Yes, well actually Bilbo I had a question", Frodo hesitated before he continued. His hand traveled down to his trouser pocket where inside safely tucked there was a letter.  
  
"Oh, and what is that Frodo?" Bilbo took another sip of his tea.  
  
Frodo hesitated not sure how he was going to put this into words.  
  
"Well you see Bilbo I don't know how to say this but..."  
  
"This doesn't have anything to do with a certain young hobbit lass, does it?" Frodo gaped, Bilbo nodded knowingly.  
  
"Yes, but how did you..."  
  
"Your aunt has been talking of nothing except that for the past two days. Now let me tell you Frodo in my youth I was fortunate enough to meet the hobbit lass of my dreams. She was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. Her hair was the color of autumn leaves, her cheeks rosy pink, her eyes the color of the summer sky, and she had the loveliest grace you could ever find on a hobbit lass." Bilbo got a faraway look on his face like he was looking back at a time when he himself had auburn hair as well and his wrinkles were fewer. Frodo smiled and could have sworn he saw a hint of a tear glistening in Bilbo's eye.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well her name was Lucinda Pepperly and she was a wonderful dancer. Oh, she was so pretty that in fact it was hard for any hobbit lad to come up and talk to her. She seemed to cast a spell on you that caused you lips to seal together as if they had been glued shut. Well anyways I never got a chance to talk to her, and believe me, Frodo, I tried countless times but each time I chickened out. Well one day I decided that I would go and talk to her, but when I saw her in the market she was with a group of her friends and I didn't feel all too comfortable of professing my love in front of a crowd. So I said to myself 'Bilbo Baggins, you are going to talk to that sweet red haired angel tomorrow!' And so the next day was the day that Gandalf came to my door." At this point Bilbo looked down. Frodo could see him frown. Bilbo's hand shook as he took another sip from his tea.  
  
"I am sorry Bilbo," muttered Frodo looking at his uncle.  
  
Bilbo waved it away with a shaken movement of his hand. "It was not meant to be; apparently my need for adventure was greater than my need and thirst for love. Well after I came back I learned that she was already well gone and off married happily. She was now living in Bree and happy as could be with already a set of twins can you believe that!" Bilbo sighed and looked at Frodo with a serious face. "My point is Frodo that I have seen how you look at Ms. Underhill. I see the glow in your eye whenever you see her. I know that look very well." Frodo blushed and looked down at his feet. "No, don't try to deny it. You and Hazela have a wonderful relationship. You actually talk to one another! What I am trying to say is if you find someone that you really care about hold on to her. Tell her how you feel you may never know they might feel the same towards you! Who knows maybe Bag End will finally be crowded with a family."  
  
Frodo smiled and nodded. "You sound like Aunt Esmeralda, Bilbo, but I understand and thank you."  
  
He patted his uncle on the shoulder and then quickly got up and raced back to his room. Bilbo looked after him smiling. "Ah, young love..." * ~ * ~  
  
Frodo quickly went to the mirror to check himself again. He took his index finger and started to comb his eyebrows with them. "Alright collar nicely folded, shirt tucked in, no food stains of any sorts, and hair..." Frodo looked at his hair; he quickly grabbed a comb and tried to brush it out again. "Stay, come on stay..."  
  
"Oh there you are Frodo!"  
  
Frodo quickly turned around and saw that Merry and Pippin were standing at the door looking at him with amused expressions.  
  
"Wow, you look awfully...clean where are you going?" Merry grinned.  
  
"Nowhere", answered Frodo looking at himself in the mirror once again. "Oh well" he thought placing down the brush.  
  
"Hm well when I usually go nowhere I don't look half as nice as you do", commented Pippin. "Is there a special event being held at 'Nowhere'?"  
  
Frodo rolled his eyes and then placed his jacket on. He checked the cuckoo clock on the wall, it was 11:25. "Toadstools!" he cried and without an answer back to Pippin he rushed past them and went out the door.  
  
Merry and Pippin turned to each other.  
  
"It's show time", they both said giving each other a high five.  
  
"Now we only have to see if Ms. Underhill is going to be there on time as well," mentioned Merry.  
  
Pippin frowned. "But isn't Frodo a bit you know early?"  
  
"Early what are you talking about? The boy has about four minutes to get there now" said Merry.  
  
"But aren't they meeting at midnight?"  
  
Merry's eyes widened. "What! Pip, don't tell me you wrote the wrong time on Hazel's letter!" * ~ * ~ Hazel glanced at the clock on the mantel piece. The time was now 11:30, she sighed and her stomach ached with a hundred butterflies struggling to get out. She was now washing dishes with her sister Danielle drying them beside her.  
  
"Hazel, would you please give me that mug! You have been washing the same one for at least two minutes!" Danielle exclaimed quickly swiping the mug away from her sister. She quickly rinsed it under the water and then picked up her towel and continued to dry. "Sorry Danielle, I guess I was a bit preoccupied", sighed Hazel dreamily looking back up at the stars.  
  
They looked so beautiful tonight, but it was bit too cold for her preference already she could feel goosebumps creeping up her arms and legs. The cold water that they had gathered from the well wasn't helping either.  
  
"I'll say", said Danielle still irritated by Hazel's pace with the dishes. "Come on I don't want to spend New Year's drying dishes! Honestly Hazel it seems like you are not here today."  
  
Hazel smiled despite herself. Her sister was right she was not. Her mind was off to The Knoll where in thirty minutes she would meet him.  
  
Hazel walked slowly up to the hill. The nearby clock tower marked 11:50. And one more step over and she saw him. He was sitting down on the log that usually served her as a bench for whenever she would come up to The Knoll on her art escapades. He turned at the sound of her. Hazel's heart leaped and began to pound against her chest. He looked very handsome. His deep blue eyes reflecting the moon, his smile that could make anyone melt was settled on his face and his hair was all ruffled up in an attempt to make it look tame. She just loved it. "Hey" he said slowly getting up. "Hey" she answered walking toward him. He too drew near her and then when they were only a couple of inches away from one another they both stopped and stared shyly at the ground. Hazel shuffled her feet nervously. She could feel his eyes on her but she didn't look up at him. "So you wanted to see me?" She looked up at him and smiled sweetly. He grinned back and stepped forward making the space between them smaller. "Of course I wanted to see you", he answered, "When do I not want to see you?" Hazel blushed at this and looked down once more. Frodo lifted her chin just like he had done that night after the pub incident. "You are so beautiful", he whispered. Hazel blushed some more and she looked away. "But you are", he said looking deep into her eyes. "You are not so bad yourself", she managed looking back at him with the same love and compassion that she was sure was behind his gaze. Frodo smiled and then stepped closer. Now they were so close that Hazel could almost feel Frodo's breath on her. "Frodo I..." "Shhh", he said and cradling her face in his arms drawing her closer to him...  
  
"HAZEL!"  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
"We're done come on we have to go back inside!" Danielle was already at the door carrying the tub where all the dried dishes had been neatly stacked in. Hazel frowned, had she been daydreaming? It had felt so real! "But it will be soon" said a voice in her head. "Yeah right", Hazel thought as she picked up her own stack of clean dishes and headed for the house. "You'll see," answered the voice mischievously. Hazel smiled to herself the butterflies seemed to have been joined by another couple hundred inside her stomach. * ~ * "What should we do?"  
  
"I think we should get Diamond and Estella here and decide" answered Merry.  
  
"Good idea, but after that what are we gonna do" exclaimed Pippin.  
  
"One step at a time, Pip now hurry let's meet outside Brandyhall, I'll get Estella and you get Diamond."  
  
"Oh no you don't I get Estella and you get Diamond."  
  
"Why does it matter?"  
  
"I don't want to be clouted over the head 15 times and be yelled at all the way back here!"  
  
Merry rolled his eyes. "Fine, let's just go!"  
  
* ~ * ~ Frodo glanced up at the clock it was now 11:45. Oh well, it was understandable, in her letter she had even specified that she was going to be late. Frodo had arrived there about seven minutes before then. Frodo smiled and thought of his surprise when he saw her letter lying on his bed. Who would of thought? But now the letter was no longer with him, in his rush to get to The Knoll on time he had left it behind in his other pair of trousers, being that they had acquired a mysterious food stain of some sort. Frodo boggled his mind to try to remember what it had said. "Oh well" he said out loud, "At least I am here." He sat down confidently on the log and watched the moon and the stars, it was a perfect night. She would come he knew she would. But a little voice at the back of his mind cautioned, "Just be careful..."  
  
* ~ * Hazel glanced around at the clock it was now officially 11:50 and it was getting late. Her mom gave her a stern glance from across the living room. They were all now seated in the living area discussing dully about topics that Hazel did not wish to discuss. Danielle was busy making new friends with her brother-in-law who apparently was best friends with one of Danielle's many admirers. Hazel rolled her eyes. She quietly looked over at her mother and made another motion that she had to leave. Her mother furrowed her brows once more and slightly shook her head.  
  
Hazel turned once more to her aunt who had all this time been babbling to Hazel about her dear nephew, who Hazel learned was not her nephew at all but instead was a son of a very good friend. Hazel smiled at her aunt and nodded her head for she had no idea what she was talking about anymore.  
  
"Oh yes Charles is a true keeper... I bet he must be the richest hobbit in the entire Shire, except of course the Thain_"  
  
"I hear that Bilbo Baggins and his nephew Frodo are very rich as well", remarked Hazel finally interrupting her aunt in half sentence. Her aunt Lootie, looked at her with shock and disbelief at her.  
  
"Well my Charles has actual real money which is the least that I can say for your Mr. Baggins!" she sniffed. "And at least my Charles and his family are good, sensible, hobbits who don't meddle around with elves and dwarves and and wizards! Besides they are a rude lot them Bagginses, but mark my words those two are the worst of the entire family if the things that they say about them are true."  
  
Hazel looked at Aunt Lootie a sort of fire burning in her eyes.  
  
"Bilbo and Frodo Baggins are good hobbits! Whether they live up to your standards or not. They are kind and caring and polite! Rude, indeed the only rude person I see here is you and your cruel misjudgments about others!" Aunt Lootie blinked at Hazel as she stormed out of the room and out the door.  
  
How dare she? She doesn't even know them! Oh toadstools! What time is it? Hazel glanced up at the clock it read 11:56. She yelped and plunged into the cold night praying all the while that Frodo would still be there by the time she got there. * ~ * "Merry what is this?"  
  
"Come on Diamond we got to hurry!"  
  
"What why what for?"  
  
Merry pulled Diamond with him and raced off to Brandy Hall. The clock's minute hand turned heavily on the 5 of the clock face. It was now 11:55. When they arrived at Brandyhall Pippin and Estella were already there.  
  
"Would someone please tell me why I am missing dessert?" exclaimed Diamond looking at Pippin and Merry.  
  
Merry and Pippin both looked at each other. "Tell them, Pip", ordered Merry.  
  
Pippin stepped forward and recapped to the girls what had occurred. Estella and Diamond both gaped at him. "What!"  
  
"You did what, Took!" Diamond was beside herself.  
  
"It was an accident!"  
  
"An accident, don't you mean a total and complete act of stupidity?" cried Diamond glaring at Pippin. Pippin cowered down from her rage. Estella quickly created a barrier between them.  
  
"Come on We have to figure out what to do now! We can't change what has happened only what will happen!"  
  
"'Stella's right. That's why we got you two here. We have to figure out what are we going to do. The feelings of our best friends are at risk here, not to mention that one of them is my cousin!" Merry looked at both Pippin and Diamond, they both bowed their heads in shame.  
  
"Maybe they will still meet and we won't have to do anything," suggested Pippin.  
  
Diamond looked like she was going to have another go at him, but Estella cut her off.  
  
"No, I doubt it. Knowing Hazel and her family she will be there late."  
  
"And Frodo will probably be gone by then", added Merry.  
  
"So what are we going to do then?" Diamond threw her hands up in frustration. "We only have about three minutes!"  
  
"Maybe we can prevent Frodo from leaving The Knoll", suggested Pippin.  
  
"No, that won't work; there is no way in doing that without one of us appearing before him physically. Besides afterwards he will get suspicious and start asking questions." Estella shook her head.  
  
"We are going to have to tell them some time or other if this doesn't work out," pointed out Diamond who was already cooling down.  
  
"What do you think Merry?"  
  
Estella turned to Merry who had not said anything yet. Merry shook his head and said, "There is no way we can fix this I thought we could but we can't. I guess we will have to just see what happens."  
  
"But they will be mad at one another", cried Diamond.  
  
"They may never speak to each other again", added Pippin looking from Merry to Estella.  
  
"No, Merry is right we can't do anything. Afterwards it will be up to us to console them and tell them of our actions. Hopefully they will find it in their hearts to forgive us. Besides neither Frodo nor Hazel did this to one another. We did it to them they should be getting mad at us."  
  
Everyone nodded at Estella's words. A loud sound filled the air it was the bells of the clock tower in the square. They all turned to see it, midnight. * ~ * Frodo looked at the clock when it chimed.  
  
"Happy New Year's" he mumbled to himself. He felt a cold rush inside his body. It was like a flood had gone through inside him its icy waters splashing about and with it went his heart. Frodo frowned and looked at the sky once more. The night no longer seemed perfect to him anymore it seemed like it was....mocking him. As if the moon and stars were so bright and beautiful as if to remind him of what could have been but was most definitely not going to happen.  
  
How could I have been so stupid! This was obviously a joke! I mean in the letter it didn't even sound like Hazel could have actually written that and meant even half of it! You are a fool Frodo Baggins for falling into a trap like this. You were too cocky and too over confident that everything would turn out alright. You chose to forget all of the other times that lasses asked for you to meet them and they never showed up. You chose to forget that you are an heir to nice home and a fortune! You chose to forget that you were never made for love and love was not made for you...  
  
Frodo kicked at the ground angrily. He couldn't believe how much this could hurt. The wind bit at him as it swept by. Frodo felt the cold bite and he shivered.  
  
"What the hell am I doing here still?" He grumbled under his breath some more, cursing the wind and the moon and the stars, but most of all cursing himself.  
  
He then started to walk down the hill feeling like he had left his heart up there still sitting on the log waiting to be loved. * ~ * Hazel looked at the clock. It was now 12:15. She looked out over the Buckland. She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
He couldn't have waited a little more? The tears then fell down freely from her eyes and she began to sob. She could not believe it. I thought he would have waited! If he truly cared about me he would have waited! Hazel rubbed her eyes with her fists roughly as she continued to sniffle and sob. I should have known this could have never happened! I mean we are far too different he probably has no respect for me and for my feelings! He never has! Ever since we were small it was always him him him and what he felt was funny. He never cared how hurt I would be by his pranks and jokes. I bet you that's what this is a joke! Some kind of silly prank that he thought he could pull on me before he left for Hobbiton. And I fell for it! Hazel had thought of this before but she had never thought that Frodo would do such a thing. Why do I continue to do this to myself, huh? Why can't I just fall in love with the right lad and not get hurt! Her mind went back to Merry whose face was now filling up her mind. She shook her head. No, it's not Merry either. You are only fooling yourself Hazel! You have to be more careful of your feelings you have to! Otherwise than that you will only get hurt all the time. But...I can't believe he couldn't wait for me! He couldn't even wait fifteen minutes! He couldn't even wait fifteen bloody minutes!  
  
"I hate him!" she exclaimed out loud. After she said it Hazel stopped, tears still trickling down pink cheeks. Did she mean that? Did she really hate Frodo? "Yes", she concluded out loud. "He is a despicable little rat who cares for no one else but for himself. He is a deceitful little liar, who has a head filled with hot air!" Hazel growled this all out and she quickly then turned and stomped back down the hill, no longer sad but just angry. As she trudged on though she couldn't help but feel betrayed and wronged, her heart was bleeding from an open wound, but it would soon heal just like all other wounds do. All in time it would all heal. 


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: My sincerest apologies to everyone for not updating faster than what I had planned for. I would like to give my thanks to everyone for being so patient with me, but now it is the summer holidays so I have plenty of time to update. I have decided to not include titles for chapters anymore, just song lyrics if it is appropriate for the chapter.  
  
It Is You I Had Loved  
  
Ch. 14  
  
Hazel looked out the window at the dawning sky. The oncoming storm clouds were threatening to block the earth from the sun's glow. Only a couple of hours ago her heart had been whole and now pieces of it were lying scattered all over the countryside. The wind had lessened to a cool breeze whispering in the trees. Hazel sighed as she looked down at her diary.  
  
Dear Diary, I can't believe myself! I knew that this was possible but I didn't expect it to actually happen! What an idiot I am, if only I could just go back in time and correct it! Did he ever arrive there? Well I can bet my mushrooms that he bloody did not! No, do you know why? Because he is a lousy rat, who only cares for himself and never gives a hoot for anyone else! I HATE HIM!!!! I wish I had never met the lying scoundrel! I bet this was all a joke and now he is in his warm hobbit hole giggling to himself over his master plan I guess as a last chance at a joke at me! Oh how I wish I could go down there and slap the living day lights out of him so that he would know how much it hurts! But should I show him that this hurt me? Or should I pretend it didn't affect me at all. If I do the latter it could only lead to more hurt feelings and other things. Someone needs to get these childish ideas out of his head! OH HOW I HATE HIM!!! HATE HIM HATE HIM HATE HIM!!!!  
  
Hazel stopped a single tear drop falling down on her paper. She looked at her snow globe that he had given her. She picked it up with spite and was debating whether it was worth tossing out the window or not when she heard a light tap at her window.  
  
Hazel turned to her window and looked out of it. The dawning light allowed her to see the faint outline of a hobbit waving at her and looking around cautiously. Hazel's heart gave a painful leap in her chest as she opened the window.  
  
"Psst Hazel!"  
  
Hazel sighed her heart returning once again to the bottom of her feet.  
  
"Merry now is not the best time. What are you doing here anyways? Do you realize what time it is?"  
  
"Please I have something urgent to tell you," pleaded Merry looking cautiously around.  
  
"Ugh, fine I will be out in the back", replied Hazel. Hazel closed her window and looked around for a cloak. Picking up her favorite emerald green one, she placed it around her shoulders and went out to the back.  
  
Once out there she saw Merry sitting on the garden bench by the fountain. Merry stood when she entered the garden and offered for her to sit down beside him. Hazel looked at Merry with narrowed eyes, not sure of what this was all about.  
  
"No thank you Merry I prefer to stand", she answered curtly not looking at Merry directly in the eyes.  
  
Merry sighed. "Believe me, Hazel I think you need to sit down for what I am about to tell you." He once again extended his hand and Hazel hesitantly sat down.  
  
Merry stood in front of her and began to pace. The breeze seemed to pick up again; Hazel held her cloak against her. Finally Merry stopped his pacing and sat down beside her. Very close beside her. Hazel sort of gasped for if it had been only about a week before she would have probably fainted on the floor. This was what she had pictured in her dreams for so many years. Now that it was actually happening it saddened her to know that Meriadoc Brandybuck was no longer her figure of affection.  
  
"Hazel", began Merry and then hesitated again. He looked down and then gently held her hand.  
  
Hazel's eyes widened once more, a flash of an all too familiar dream played through her mind. Merry squeezed her hand reassuringly and began to stroke it with his thumb. Hazel gazed down at their hands not daring to breath, not sure what to think either.  
  
"Hazel", repeated Merry once more, "I don't think there is any easy way to say this, but it must be said, for all our sakes. Tonight something occurred and I believe I am correct in saying that something else was broken besides a request." Hazel looked at Merry once more. How did he know?  
  
"Mer", Hazel began but Merry silenced her with a look.  
  
"Hazel as a friend, I must ask you to not say anything until I am finished. Also to hear me out completely before any action that you are even thinking of doing is completed. Please, it is very important for you to hear the whole thing."  
  
Hazel nodded, her heart fluttering in her throat. Merry looked at her making sure that her nod was sincere and then with one last squeeze of her hand he continued.  
  
"Hazel, I must confess to you that over the past couple of days, Pippin, Estella, Diamond, Alastor and I have been planning ways to get Frodo and you together. If this was a wrong action to take I am deeply sorry for it, but I believe that you didn't mind the idea at all. Well it was only after the incident at The Golden Sun with Dandy and everything that our suspicions were verified. There was something else between you two besides just friendship; we figured there was something more."  
  
Hazel could feel her eyes watering.  
  
"So we decided that we would be doing both of you a favor if we brought you two, not knowing that it was us the whole time, together. So we decided to write two letters."  
  
Hazel's mouth dropped open. "You what?"  
  
Merry nodded. "Estella wrote a letter to Frodo from your behalf, and Pippin wrote a letter to you on Frodo's behalf. Well the idea was for you two to get together and spend New Year's Eve together. Everything was going along great, until we realized that there had been a mistake. In the planning of the times there was a bit of confusion. Estella had written in your letter to Frodo to meet at 11:30. Pippin in the meanwhile had gotten confused with the times and in Frodo's letter to you had written 12:00."  
  
Hazel's hand began to shake and Merry tried to steady it. Hazel didn't know what to feel. Her eyebrows furrowed as she continued to look on at Merry.  
  
Merry not looking at Hazel continued. "So you can imagine how distressed we all were when we realized the mistake. But by that time it was far too late. The letters had already been sent to each of you and it was almost time for Frodo to meet you at the Knoll."  
  
"So what did you do then?" Hazel exclaimed unable to keep her anger any longer.  
  
"Hazel, remember your promise? I am not finished yet. Please calm down."  
  
"How can I calm down? Merry I can't believe all of you could have done this to us! And when you realized your mistake you didn't go and tell it to us. Instead you would have us go up there to the Knoll looking like complete IDIOTS! Some friends you are!"  
  
Hazel wrenched her hand away from Merry's, and crossed her arms furiously. She turned away from him, not wishing for the tears to come down.  
  
"Hazel, believe me if we had even known that this was going to happen then we would have never done it."  
  
Hazel turned back at him this time her eyes up to the brim with tears.  
  
"You know what Merry? If you and the others had at least been a little bit more considerate of our feelings then maybe you wouldn't be in this predicament! I mean I can't believe that you should go to such extents so that Frodo and I could get together! Do you not think that we are capable of carrying on a relationship by ourselves?"  
  
"Of course you are you guys are just not capable of starting the relationship off, that's all! I mean it was perfectly clear to us what both of you were thinking when you looked upon one another and we thought that for the sake of everyone else that we should give you an encouraging nudge. What is wrong with a little help?"  
  
"Nudge, nudge? You call this whole letter thing a nudge! Honestly Merry I think the better definition is a push! You were basically making me throw myself at him, and begin thinking about feelings that don't even exist between us!"  
  
"Hazel, please believe me we never thought this was going to end up this way. Please we were only trying to help. We didn't see anything wrong with a little bit of friendly interference."  
  
Hazel turned on Merry her eyes already red from crying. "Merry, all you have completed in doing is helping my heart get ripped to shreds much faster!"  
  
And with that Hazel got up and ran. She ignored Merry's cries for her to come back. She just merely wished to be alone. The sun rose in the distance and the birds began to sing the first songs of dawn. "I hate it all, I hate it!" Frodo looked over the Brandywine, which was now still somewhat frozen over. His mind drifted back to a time when he wasn't as worried about such things as girls and relationships. A time when he was only worried about what the best joke would be, and when to steal from Farmer Maggot's. Frodo looked up at the rapidly clouding sky. The air was heavily perfumed with the clean smell of rain. The old willow tree which had before offered him so much protection still stood its bows bending low over his head.  
  
"Why me? Why does this always happen to me?" Frodo muttered to himself as he continued to stare out at the frozen river.  
  
He heard someone approaching behind him. Frodo turned to see a girl coming towards him. For a split second Frodo believed her to be Hazel, but as the girl drew nearer he was proved wrong.  
  
"Oh there you are Frodo; I was hoping I would find you here."  
  
"Estella, what are you doing here? Do you realize what time it is?"  
  
"Yes I know it is a bit early, but Frodo I need to talk to you." She smiled at him earnestly as she sat herself down on the opposite tree root.  
  
"What about Estella?"  
  
"It's about Hazel", she said looking at him and leaning closer. She looked at him intently the gentlest expression in her soft brown eyes.  
  
Frodo's eyebrows furrowed. "Hazel?" What about her?"  
  
"You know, about what happened this evening", continued Estella twirling a piece of her hair in her fingers nervously.  
  
"You've already talked to her about it?"  
  
"No please Frodo let me explain"  
  
"Please, don't try to defend her Estella, because trust me I am in no mood to take any crap from her today." Frodo got up and walked away.  
  
"Frodo please if you would only hear me out!"  
  
Frodo continued to walk on down the bank not knowing exactly where he was going; only knowing that he would rather be anywhere but back there. He couldn't wait to leave Buckland and travel back to Bag End, only there would he find peace and solace. He could hear Estella coming behind him, clearly not willing to give up on him so easily.  
  
"Frodo! Frodo, stop! Would you just listen to me?"  
  
Frodo stopped, his heart pumping fast inside his throat. He stood there waiting for Estella to catch up.  
  
"Frodo please if you would only listen than maybe all this will be for nothing. Please I know you have been hurt, and believe me when I say this that it pains me to see you so."  
  
Frodo turned to face his friend. Estella was soon by his side and then they both began to walk down the Brandywine.  
  
"Frodo, listen you shouldn't be mad at Hazel. On the contrary you should be mad at me, at all of us. Merry, Pippin, Diamond, Alastor, and I came up with a plan to get you and Hazel together. The reason being that we saw there was something else that was going on between you and Hazel. So we figured that we would test out our theory, that day at the Golden Sun we realized that we were right. And so we needed something to be taken place real soon especially since you were going to be leaving soon, so I wrote a letter to you from Hazel's behalf and Pippin wrote a letter to Hazel from your behalf. Well the only problem was that the times got mixed up and so it ended up that you both missed each other by half an hour. But Hazel did arrive and you should have seen the way she ran back home! What I mean to say is that it wasn't your fault or Hazel's! It was purely our lack of attention in the writing of the times. And for that we are eternally sorry!"  
  
Frodo turned to Estella his lips parted not sure what to say. What could he say? This had come so unexpected to him. So there was still a chance, but did this mean that everything he was thinking about was it real? Were the feelings he was now holding inside real, or were they just made up due to the letter that he had received from Hazel, but not Hazel but Estella. Was she really in fact sharing the same feelings as he? Estella did mention how distressed she was in finding that he was not there waiting for her. But was that enough? Frodo didn't know what to do he honestly did not wish to be hurt again. He would have to be cautious about it.  
  
"Frodo? Frodo please say something! I know you must be angry at me and at all of us but please do not revert to not speaking to me! Frodo!"  
  
Estella was now on the brink of tears. Frodo's face broke out in a compassionate smile and he gave her a hug. Estella had now begun to hiccup. Her body jumped every time one escaped her and Frodo couldn't help but smile. Everything was going to be all right. Suddenly a light thunder rumbled and it began to rain, lightly at first but still freezing cold.  
  
Frodo and Estella holding each other's hands in order not to slip on the slick stones, made their way towards the only source of shelter that they could find. They returned back under the willow tree and there under its thick branches they hid from the freezing rain which would probably later turn to snow.  
  
Estella was still hiccupping into his shoulder.  
  
"So you are not mad at me?" She asked timidly brushing away the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Of course not, Estella! I could never be mad at you, you know that. I was just honestly so...stunned! I didn't know what to say! Does Hazel know about this?"  
  
"Oh Merry (hiccup!) was suppose to go and look for her to (hiccup!) tell her about it."  
  
"I see", said Frodo looking away from his friend and staring out at the rain. The branches were soon soaking wet, in a little while no shelter would be found there.  
  
Estella took a deep breath to try to stop herself from hiccupping. Another jump from her showed that it hadn't worked. Frodo chuckled good naturedly and placed a loving hand on her shoulder.  
  
"What on earth would I do without you, Estella? You do realize that you haven't changed since the....erm...accident. You still can't contain your hiccups even after you have stopped crying."  
  
Estella punched him playfully. "And you are still the same stubborn"  
  
"Ass?" He finished for her and she smiled and nodded.  
  
"Come on we better get out of this rain, before we both get sick", he said as he helped her up noticing now that her teeth were chattering.  
  
"Frodo, wait."  
  
Frodo stopped and looked at her.  
  
"I can't help but ask what are you (hiccup) going to do?"  
  
Frodo turned away and said "I don't know. I am not sure of some things right now."  
  
Estella looked a bit crestfallen at his answer.  
  
Frodo looked at her and said with a strain at his voice to seem happy "But I do know that if we stay any longer here we will both be in major problems. Come on Brandyhall is closest."  
  
Estella even though she wished to be sure to cheer Frodo up and help him as much as she could, thanked the heavens for this for indeed she could almost feel the cold freezing her bare toes. Frodo helped her up and using his cloak as a shield from the downpour they made their way out of the riverbed and onto the road nearby.  
  
The rain continued to come down and soon it became so cold that there was no longer liquid falling from the air but lots of freezing snow. Frodo and Estella quickened their pace, being careful not to trip on the road as they headed for Brandyhall.  
  
"We are almost there!" Frodo shouted pointing at the bright lights of the hall. Estella once again thanked the heavens for she could no longer feel her feet.  
  
"Let's cut through this field it will be quicker!" Frodo led the way to a field that would usually in spring time be bursting with corn stalks. Estella quickly followed her hiccups were still causing her to jump every so often. They came to a stone wall that separated them from the entrance to Brandyhall. Frodo left Estella with his cloak and nimbly jumped over the wall with ease, slipping slightly when he reached the other side.  
  
"Watch ou-(hiccup!). Are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah fine just come on here I will help you be careful it is a bit slippery."  
  
Estella nervously climbed up the wall sitting down on its icy top. She knew she was not going to like this. She waited for Frodo to position himself below her. It was not a very high wall but then again Frodo was a good deal taller than she was and besides he could actually feel his feet or so she assumed.  
  
"Come on, I got you," coaxed Frodo as he held up his hands.  
  
Estella with one last hiccup jumped down from the wall and landed on the ground. But no sooner had she landed on the ground she felt her feet slip from underneath her. Before she knew what was happening she was falling back but she didn't fall too far. With a sickening crash her skull made contact with the stone wall. The last thing Estella saw was Frodo's wide panicked blue eyes staring at her. And then everything went dark. Hazel rushed through the doors a couple of hobbits were standing here and there and they all looked up as she entered.  
  
"Where is she?!"  
  
"Please, Miss, she is in the back room with the Master", said a servant timidly pointing her in the right direction.  
  
Hazel ran and headed to the backroom where the servant had pointed. She saw that there was already a crowd forming at the door. On the outer rim she saw Mrs. Brandybuck a handkerchief concealing her face. Hazel drew close to her, Mrs. Brandybuck raised her head it seemed to draw in breath and she caught Hazel's stare.  
  
"Oh Hazela..."  
  
"How is she?"  
  
Mrs. Brandybuck didn't know what to answer and she just turned to look through the crowded door. A gruff voice came from inside bidding everyone to please leave and so they did all with worried looks in their eyes.  
  
Hazel turned to the hobbit who had commanded the crowd to leave, it was Dr. Burrows.  
  
"Please sir I need to see her", pleaded Hazel.  
  
The doctor hesitated for one moment before he stepped aside allowing her entry into the room. Hazel stepped inside. The curtains were drawn so that only a single ray of light penetrated through the room giving little light to see by. There was a fire going in the grate and the light of about ten candles flickered. Estella was in a bed supported by about four pillows. Her eyes were closed and her lips looked pale.  
  
Hazel crossed the room quickly and headed to her side. She knelt down and stroked Estella's forehead gently trying to blink back tears that were threatening to come down.  
  
"Estella? Estella can you hear me?"  
  
"She is out cold", muttered a voice behind her. Hazel turned from her friend to see Fatty Bolger standing behind her in a corner.  
  
"She hasn't said anything nor opened her eyes since she was brought here", said another voice from the other side of the bed. Hazel was surprised to find Mr. and Mrs. Bolger sitting there in chairs. It was Mr. Bolger who had spoken. It was a wonder that Hazel had not seen them when she had run into the room.  
  
"What happened is she going to be alright? When my mother told me about it all she could say was that Estella was ill!"  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Bolger looked away to the shadows of a corner of the room.  
  
"Why don't you ask him?" Fatty said over her shoulder.  
  
Hazel followed their gaze and came face to face with Frodo. He was standing by the fireplace in the shadows his eyes shining in the firelight.  
  
"Frodo what happened?" Hazel's voice shook as she asked once more, this time for more than just one reason.  
  
Frodo stepped away from the fireplace his head bent, dullness in his usually lively eyes.  
  
"It was an accident", he began before he was interrupted by the abrupt movement of Mr. Bolger.  
  
"Accident? Sounds more like carelessness to me!"  
  
"Harold!" pleaded Mrs. Bolger who now stood up from her chair, handkerchief still over her nose (AN: alright I have no idea what the Bolger's first names are except for Fatty and Estella so I am making up the names of the parents if anyone knows the real names of Mr. and Mrs. Bolger then tell me so I can keep true to the books. Oh and another thing if Fatty and Estella are not suppose to be related in the book...then well they are in this story.)  
  
"But it is true! You heard the boy! What I still want to know is why you were both out there at three o' clock in the morning in the first place!"  
  
"Harold please!"  
  
"You better not have been up to anything..." Mr. Bolger seemed to not be able to think of a word that could express the hideous offense that he had in his mind. And it was pretty clear to everyone in the room what he was thinking.  
  
Hazel could hear Fatty shift behind her, she knew Fatty was a good friend of Frodo's, and she was sure he was fighting hard not to think the worse of his friend.  
  
Frodo stepped closer to the bed and Hazel saw that his cheeks were pinker than usual. "Mr. Bolger, I have already told you that we were doing nothing of the kind. Estella had something to tell me of some importance." At this he paused and quickly looked at Hazel. Hazel's heart thumped inside her throat so hard that she knew for sure everyone else could hear it. "That was all there was nothing more. And I do realize Mr. Bolger that although it might be called carelessness or recklessness but it was still a most unfortunate accident."  
  
His voice was calm and patient and for a moment it seemed that he was the adult rather than the bristling old hobbit before him.  
  
"Rubbish!" Mr. Bolger glared at Frodo and then added while shaking his finger furiously at him. "I never want to see you come near my daughter again! Do you hear me? Get out!"  
  
Frodo stood there for second more before shaking his head and leaving quickly from the room. Hazel wanted to go after him, but she couldn't leave Estella's side. Then again she desperately wished to know what had happened. Dr. Burrows who had remained quite during the whole exchange stepped forward and said that it would be best if the rest of the family leave as well. "Miss Bolger needs her rest."  
  
Hazel left Estella's side regretfully. She tried not to catch either of the Bolger's eyes as she too quickly hastened to escape. Once outside Mrs. Bolger broke out in more tears and Mr. Bolger along with Fatty led her away. Hazel stood in the hallway wondering where Frodo had gone off. After searching the nearby sitting rooms, she ventured off in search of his room.  
  
She knocked on the door politely before entering. Frodo was sitting in a chair his head between his hands.  
  
"Frodo?"  
  
"Please Hazel I wish to be alone", was his answer. Hazel walked over to him and bent down.  
  
"Frodo please talk to me", she pleaded. You don't know how much it pains me to be beside you. You hurt me so much. But it wasn't his fault said another voice in her head. You hurt yourself.  
  
"Hazel you have to believe me it was an accident! I would never ever wish for any harm to come down upon Estella! You know that!" Frodo lifted his head and Hazel was surprised to see shiny tears on his cheeks.  
  
"No one is saying that you did it on purpose, Frodo", she assured him, hesitating before rubbing his back gently.  
  
"The Bolger's believe it. And now Fatty will think I am out to get his sister! But they are right! They are right it was my fault. I should have been thinking. I should have made her scoot down the wall some more to avoid that patch of ice. She doesn't deserve to be in that bed."  
  
"Frodo what happened please tell me."  
  
Frodo finally looked up at her his deep blue eyes still glistening with tears. He told Hazel of the accident. "I will never forget that sound and the look she gave me right when she hit the wall. No never as long as I live." He bent down again his eyes closed, his shoulders shaking.  
  
Hazel continued to rub his back gently her fingers shaking slightly. "What happened afterwards?"  
  
"Well I tried to get her to come to, but she was gone. I feared the worse, so I scooped her up in my arms and ran as fast as I could, careful of Estella, and yelled for help. Once inside Brandyhall, Aunt Esmeralda told me to take her into that room back there. She told me that Merry could carry her, for he had shortly returned home, but I would not let anyone else touch her. We took her inside and Aunt Esmeralda told someone to get the doctor. Merry ran off to get the Bolger's and Pippin went to get Diamond and Alastor. The doctor arrived and so did the Bolger's they questioned me over what had happened and I felt ashamed to retell the story for I realized then and now that the most sensible thing to have done in order to have avoided this was to have her jump off the wall further down where there was no patch of ice! But no, I was not thinking then and now I have paid for my idiocy and so has she! I am a stupid fool!"  
  
At this Frodo broke down and began to cry. Hazel for a minute didn't know what to do. She felt for Frodo and she desperately wished to have all the aches leave him. Not knowing what else to do she held him. If she were in his position that would be what she would want most, someone to hold and comfort you.  
  
Frodo, to Hazel's surprise, hugged her back in return and cried on her shoulder. The tears that Hazel had tried so hard to hold back were now falling freely and she mentally scolded herself for not being stronger and fighting them back. She continued to rub his back in a motherly fashion as he sobbed into her shoulder.  
  
"There, there Frodo you are not a fool! On the contrary you are the farthest hobbit I know that can be called a fool!"  
  
"I just wished that it hadn't happened! Estella is just so very dear to me, and I can't bear the thought that something bad has happened to her, and that I could have prevented it!"  
  
Hazel merely closed her eyes and hugged him tighter. Hazel's heart was thumping fast as she felt his body so close to hers. His arms around her were so comforting even though she was the one doing the comforting and not he. It felt so right to be there in each other's arms. After a while they broke apart, Frodo sniffed and smiled at Hazel. She still had some stray tears running down her face. He gently brushed them aside. Hazel's heart gave a leap.  
  
"Thank you", he whispered his thumb lingering on her face.  
  
"For what?" She whispered back looking into his eyes, being very well aware of how close their faces were from each other.  
  
"For everything, for being here for me, and comforting me. Frankly I must say that I am ashamed at how I acted. I should have been the one comforting you."  
  
Hazel smiled at this, and for a moment wished that he would have been comforting her. How she longed to feel his arms around her again, and now all her anger had subsided. Frodo's thumb was still on her cheek when they heard a knock at the door in which he took it off quickly.  
  
Diamond, Alastor, Pippin, and Merry had come into the room. Frodo stood up from the floor where he and Hazel had been sitting. He helped Hazel up offering his hand to her. Diamond stepped forward and threw her arms around Hazel giving her a comforting hug.  
  
"Hazel, Frodo there is something that we need to tell you", said Diamond. She turned back to the others a worried expression on her face.  
  
Alastor stepped forward. "She woke up for just a minute, long enough for her to drink some water. The doctor says she is going to be fine, though he is a little worried. He doesn't want her to fall asleep because she might be in danger of not waking up again. He says that the wound to the head is not as deep as he had feared. Though it might have caused some brain damage, though it can not be certain until she is fully awake. Mrs. Bolger was taken home since she is already rather sick with a cold and Mr. Bolger fears that she might get worse. Fatty is going to stay with her tonight, and Mrs. Brandybuck has offered to stay with her as well. We too have decided to stay with her the night and were just coming in here to let you know." Alastor finished speaking.  
  
Hazel nodded and was just about to go out the door when a thought occurred in her mind.  
  
"Frodo", she said turning to face him "aren't you suppose to return to Bag End today?"  
  
"Ah, yes that was the plan but giving the circumstances I would much rather not. I feel that Estella's condition is my responsibility contrary what others might or might not think, so I plan to stay here until she is recovered, or at least until she is out of harms way. I already arranged to leave with Alastor when he returns to Bywater. Bilbo will have to travel alone this time I am afraid."  
  
Hazel nodded at this and she couldn't help but feel happy to see that Frodo was still going to remain here in Buckland a while longer. She scolded herself for thinking such happy and selfish thoughts at this time of sorrow. But all the same a small smile tugged her lips as she went out the door. I wonder if he feels the same.  
  
AN: Okay I know that this for some might be a little shall we say...overwhelming and drastic. But you shall see that Estella's accident is going to play a role in the story. For those of you who are wondering and doubting some things let me make it perfectly clear. This is a Frodo and original character fanfiction. Therefore Frodo will get with an original character and I think we all know who that is. I just want to make sure that people won't start getting any ideas about there being a change in plans or something. I hope you enjoyed this chapter it was a long one and an emotional one. I can only hope that it wasn't too cheesy and overdramatic. Please review! 


	15. Chapter 15

D/N: I do not own Lord of the Rings

A/N: Hey everyone I am back, did you miss me? Well fear no more It Is You I Had Loved will be finished this summer or I am a dead ferret.

It Is You I Had Loved

Ch. 15 Kiss the Girl

Dear Diary

It has now been a week since the accident with Estella and already she is showing signs of recovery, I am so relieved and thankful that she is getting better. As a result she has lost a bit of her memory of the past month and its happenings. A small case of amnesia says the doctor but nothing that time won't heal. He advises us all to spend as much time with her as possible in order to aid her memory to return. Frodo has remained here with faithful Alastor as well. It has been awkward diary very awkward for the past few days. Ever since our long hug in his room I have seen little of him. Sure from time to time we pass each other in Brandyhall and sometimes I walk in on him while he is paying Estella a visit. He is just too good to her and he truly does feel sorry, his attentions on her have caused the Bolger family to forgive him, which I am glad that they did. He truly was hurt that night; I can't believe that he actually cried. I can't believe that I actually held him in my arms.

Estella stirred a bit in her bed. Hazel stopped her writing and looked up at her dear friend. Estella had been sleeping a lot lately but Dr. Burrows was no longer afraid that she would never wake.

Estella moaned a little clutching her head. She looked around her and saw Hazel and smiled.

"Hi", she said.

"Hello, darling, have you rested?" Hazel asked her picking up a warm rag and placing it on her forehead.

"Oh yes thank you Hazel. You are too good. Have you been here all day?"

Hazel smiled. "Of course, just you know occasionally going up to go for necessary needs, but otherwise than that I have been here by your side."

Estella smiled. "Well then what are we going to remember today? What new stories of our grand adventures do you have in store for me?"

Hazel smiled. Everyday someone had been here to share a bit of what had happened over the past month with Estella.

"Well today is the day that I talk about my birthday party. Do you remember that?"

Estella frowned, her nose wrinkled in thought. "A little bit, I remember something happening with a cake. And I distinctly remember Merry and you dancing in the middle of a circle of dancers."

Hazel laughed. That day felt so long ago. A lot had happened since then.

"Well then let me fill you in. I brought my diary with me a present from the gentleman who I believe has become your new big brother. In here I have written every detail that occurred on that most memorable day."

Estella made herself comfortable and listened eagerly as Hazel read to her. She was just getting to the part where she had started the cake fight with Frodo when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in", called Hazel quickly putting away the diary.

The door opened and in came Frodo with a tray laden with dishes that jingled together as he walked.

"Ding ding, time for 'Stella's lunch!" He smiled as he set the tray on her night table. Estella reached over and hugged Frodo.

"Thank you", she said. "So what do we have today for me, I do hope it is some type of soup."

"Whala! Your wish is my command!" He took off the cover from the bowl to reveal a little bowl of chicken noodle soup steaming deliciously.

Estella gazed at it hungrily. She grabbed her spoon and a bit of bread and dug in.

"You're sure that you don't need any help with that right?" Frodo asked looking worried.

Estella laughed at him. "Why of course not, don't be silly Frodo. I might be in bed and injured but I am not an invalid either!"

Frodo laughed along with her and settled himself down on a nearby rocking chair. The whole entire time he had avoided Hazel's gaze, but the minute that he sat down his face turned to hers.

"Have you eaten already, Hazel?" He asked her.

"Oh no not yet, but I will as soon as I finish telling Estella this story."

"Oh yes please do! I want to know what happens after you get mad at Frodo for pushing you into the cake."

"Oh you are telling her about that, aren't you?" Frodo rolled his eyes.

"Yes I am telling her about that! The day that you completely ruined, even though it was going so perfectly!"

"Oh come on Hazel you have to admit that the cake fight was rather fun."

"I should say not because YOU weren't grounded for about two weeks after it!"

"Oh will you both shut up and tell me what happened!" Estella exclaimed slurping up some soup.

Hazel smiled at her and continued to tell the story. She explained in detail every moment of the cake fight. As she talked she could feel his eyes on her watching her. She blushed a bit, but tried to take no notice of him until the tale was told.

When she was done she excused herself to go and get some lunch.

"Frodo go with her, you look hungry as well."

"But I wish to accompany you", he said.

"I heard your stomach growling now go on!"

"As you wish", he said getting up with a smile. "We'll be back, Estella", they called as they closed the door.

In the hallway there was a moment of silence as they stared at their feet. It had been the first time in about a week since they had really had a chance to talk to one another.

"Well I suppose we better go find something to eat, I am actually quite hungry," Hazel said trying to erase the awkward silence.

"Yes, though I am afraid that we won't find any food here. It is nearly 2 already. Why don't we go down to your father's pub for a small lunch?"

Hazel hesitated she did not wish to stay too long away from Estella. But she knew deep down in her heart that going with Frodo to lunch would have been exactly what Estella would have wanted. Regardless of what Hazel felt or did not feel for Frodo.

She nodded and they both walked out of Brandyhall together. Hazel's mind was confused she did not know what to feel anymore. He was there right beside her close enough to touch. The hurt that had been done to her had slowly subsided, she believed it to be an effect from that night when she held Frodo in her arms and he likewise held her.

"So, Hazel what do you think of our Estella's recovery, huh? Who says that she wasn't going to make it?"

"Yes, she is doing well and I am so happy to see her like this. You have been very attentive towards her. I know she appreciates everything that you have done for her."

"How could I not? She is like a sister to me, and it is my job to take care of her, as a friend to another friend."

They walked on in silence; the snow was falling down in a sort of magical way. Hazel was reminded of the small snow globe that Frodo had given to her.

Frodo walked on his eyes scanning the ground, Hazel wondered if he was worried about slipping on another patch of ice, or maybe for her slipping on a patch of ice.

"You are most certainly paying a lot of attention to where you set your feet", she observed wondering if her suspicions were true.

"Hm? Oh yes, I guess that accident left me rather paranoid I suppose, don't want to slip again."

Hazel smiled. "But here we would only fall on the soft powdery snow. I believe we are safe from danger."

Frodo looked at her. A small hint of a smile was playing on her lips.

"You are toying with me!"

"I most certainly am not! I was merely making an observation that is all."

"You know it is a good thing that I am in a good mood today otherwise I might have taken that comment the wrong way."

"Then what would you have done, eh? Pushed me to the ground and start a snowball fight."

"No! I would first take your shawl, and then push you to the ground!"

And he did just that. He grabbed Hazel's shawl and pushed her down into the soft powdery snow. Hazel cried with glee and with a little surprise. Frodo playfully ran off a couple of steps making sure that he was completely out of her reach. He held the shawl high over his head keeping it out of her reach.

Hazel frowned and with another cry of glee got up and chased after him. He ran just ahead of her, their feet crunching in the snow. At one point he went over to the side of the road and hid behind an enormous snowman that some young hobbit lads had made. Hazel caught up to him and together they toyed with one another as she tried to grab the shawl and he dancing just out of her reach.

"You give that back, Frodo Baggins!"

"Try to catch it first."

"You immature little give that back to me or I will hurt you!"

"You will hurt me?" He stopped for a moment just out of her reach. "You know it is not lady-like to hit."

"Well it is not very gentlemanly to steal ladies' shawls away from them, especially when it is snowing."

"Well then I suppose that would make me not a very polite hobbit, wouldn't it?"

Hazel laughed. "Then I am sure you won't mind me doing this!" With that she threw herself at him so that they both landed on top of the snowman and completely demolished it. They wrestled with each other on the ground, Hazel on top while Frodo was on the bottom.

"Urgh! Get off me!"

"Not until you let go!"

Finally Hazel grabbed a hold of her shawl and held it up triumphantly, rolling away from Frodo.

"Ha the lady is victorious!"

She turned to look down at Frodo who was still sprawled on the ground. "Well don't look now I believe we have some company." He pointed behind her. She turned to see that a bunch of young hobbit lads were standing there and in each of their hands was a round snowball.

"You destroyed our snowman!" Cried one with a lot of freckles.

"Oh, sorry", smiled Hazel lowering her hand.

"Get them!" Cried another and he pelted a snowball at her.

Hazel cried as it hit her on the shoulder. Soon she and Frodo were bombarded by a number of these small snowballs.

"Come on, run!" He took her hand and they ran from the children who by now were having lots of fun pelting snow balls at them. They ran behind a stone fence and peeked over the corner.

"Shall we wait till they leave?" He asked looking at her flushed from running.

"And give them the pleasure of winning this battle before it has even begun? Never!"

Hazel dug into the snow and made a small snowball patting it with her mittens. She looked over the wall and shouted. "Hey!" With that she threw her weapon at a boy square in the chest. Frodo smiled at her and he too quickly began to make ammunition to throw at the little rascals.

And so it went for about half an hour. It wasn't until one of Frodo's snowballs knocked a cap off of a boy's head that the boys yelled retreat and headed off down the road giggling insanely.

Frodo collapsed behind the stone fence. Hazel followed his example and lay completely in the snow. She looked at Frodo and they both burst out laughing.

"Well done soldier", she said. Hazel then began to make a snow angel. She got up when she was done and beheld her masterpiece. Turning to Frodo she said, "Come you do one as well."

"Alright." Frodo fell into the soft powdery snow and made his own snow angel beside hers. When he was finished he too got up and beheld his work of art.

"Very good, but they are still missing something." Using only her fingers Hazel began to draw on the figures hair, mouth, noses, eyes, and ears. "There now they are finished."

Frodo nodded. "Not bad not bad at all." His stomach grumbled.

Hazel giggled. "A victory deserves a feast. Come on let us go to the pub before we forget what we came out here to do."

Frodo agreed with her.

"My Captain, would you do me the honor?" He said offering her his arm.

"Gladly", she smiled and taking his arm they walked down the road, laughing merrily at what had just occurred.

Once inside the pub, they took a small table in the corner and while they waited for their meal, they played a checkers match.

"Ha! Queen me!"

"I believe the correct term is king me."

"That is completely sexist! Since I am in fact a girl I will be saying queen. There is no rule that says that you can not."

"Alright here is your queen", Frodo said placing another checker on her own piece.

Hazel smiled at him and watched as he made his next move. Frodo moved one of his pawns to the right in a corner where it would be safe. He smiled satisfied with his move.

"Don't look so smug, Frodo Baggins, I'll get you yet!" Frodo snorted in disbelief and laughed at the look on her face.

While she sat their concentrating he took the chance to look at her. Just look at her. He loved how her hair was all frizzled up because of the afternoon activities. He loved even more that she did not care how it looked nor made any effort to fix it. The firelight played across her right side from his point of view. It illuminated one perfectly almond shaped eye. He could see her cheeks were still pink from running and pelting snowballs at young hobbits.

He had been having such a good time that he had forgotten about what had happened only a week ago. But then again he really hadn't been angry at her it wasn't her fault. It had seemed that she was angrier about the whole ordeal than he was. But she hadn't mentioned it, not once throughout this whole entire time they had spent together.

Hazel finally made her move. Frodo smiled and with one quick movement ate three of her pawns and one of her queens.

Hazel stared at the checker board amazed.

"Told you that you couldn't beat me", he said.

She looked up at him, her gaze giving him butterflies in her stomach. "So you did. I cannot possibly think of a way out of this mess. That is it you have won, fair and square."

"I am glad that you realized that and saved yourself from embarrassment."

Hazel smiled softly her dimples showing. Frodo loved those dimples. A waitress came and brought them their food. They thanked her and ate in silence. Frodo continued to look on her as she ate her soup. A feeling was growing deep inside Frodo, one that he could no longer ignore. It filled him like some sort of internal soft blanket. He felt warm and good and nervous. She was making him nervous, with the way that she held her spoon the way that her lips touched the spoon. He couldn't stand it any longer he had to look away. He stared intently at his soup, trying hard not to hear her soft slurping, or the shifting of her gown.

"So Frodo what memories have you shared with Estella?"

Frodo looked up at her. She had finished her soup. "Oh, um well…"

"Frodo you haven't touched your soup!" Frodo looked down at his bowl. It was true till now he hadn't realized he had been dipping his spoon into air.

"I'm sorry did you not like it?"

"Oh no it is fine, I was just you know waiting for it to cool down a bit."

"Well it must be freezing by now. Here I'll order you another."

"No that won't be necessary it's fine." He slurped it, it was indeed a lot cooler than what normal soups should be but nevertheless he ate it all.

After he finished he began a conversation with Hazel about Bilbo and his travels. She was completely fascinated by all that his uncle had done and not once did she roll her eyes or question the truth about what Frodo was saying. She was a good listener.

"So what did Bilbo do?"

"Well he challenged Gollum to a game of riddles and so whoever won the game would not only win the ring but also would get out of the tunnel or be eaten."

"So Bilbo won then, yes?"

"Yes but Gollum didn't take it too lightly so he in the end chased poor Bilbo out of the cave. Bilbo managed to escape and find the dwarves and Gandalf."

"Have you met any of them before?"

"Oh yeah, they come by every once in a while to visit him. I have become rather fond of Gandalf actually. He is always great company and a great source for news of the outside world. I would hope that you would meet him someday."

"I hope so too, he sounds so interesting and mysterious."

"He's a good friend."

Hazel nodded and looked outside.

"Oh, Frodo would you believe it, it's already growing dark. The sun is beginning to set. I told Estella we would be back."

"Funny how the time flies when you get caught up in a good story, but we must go. We did promise Estella to return."

"My mother will be mad at me for staying away from home for so long."

"Then let's go, before the storm sets in for it looks like we will have another heavy snowfall tonight."

They left the pub, Hazel holding her shawl close around her shoulders. The wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping slowly. Already the clouds were covering and already setting sun.

"Hurry let's walk a little faster, lest both of us catch cold." Frodo took her hand in his and led her at a fast walk down the road. His hand was tingling with her touch as he led her up the hill towards Brandyhall. Little did he know that Hazel was experiencing the same warm ticklish feeling in her fingers at his touch.

They reached Brandyhall barely before the heavy snowfall began. Frodo held the door open for her and together they made their way down the hall to Estella's room. They knocked before they entered. Merry opened the door. He smiled a little taken aback by their ruffled hair and pink faces. Frodo let go of Hazel's hand.

"We were wondering where you two were", Merry said walking back and sitting in a chair by Estella. She was out of bed and sitting in a rocking chair. Some playing cards were in her hand. She smiled at the both of them.

"How was your late lunch early supper?"

"Oh good, thanks", Hazel replied and took a seat on the couch.

"What game are you two playing?" Frodo asked taking a seat beside Hazel.

"War, it is the only game that Estella here knows how to play", replied Merry putting down one card.

"Well I would know more if you would have the patience to teach me Merry", Estella replied placing her own card down.

Frodo and Hazel watched them play out their game. From time to time Frodo would glance over at Hazel. At the end of their game, Estella won and it was time for Hazel to leave.

"It's getting late I better head home before the storm worsens."

"Do you need someone to accompany you home?" Estella asked putting together all the cards.

"I will." Frodo said jumping up off the couch, which caused Merry to raise an eyebrow.

"No it's fine, I'll be alright, and it's not that late."

"Come on I insist", urged Frodo. He ignored the strange looks he was receiving from Merry and Estella. He had his own reason why he wanted to speak to Hazel alone.

"Alright", answered Hazel as she got up and gave Estella a kiss and a hug. She gave Merry a quick hug as well. Frodo was keen to notice that it was just a quick one and not a longer one like the ones she used to give him.

"There is still a heavy snowfall, what are you going to do?"

"We'll manage", replied Frodo as he held the door open for Hazel to leave. His heart was fluttering inside his chest as he realized once he was outside the door what he was about to do.

"Thanks for the offer, Frodo but really I don't want you getting too wet or cold."

Frodo waved away her comment with one hand. "Don't worry about it besides if we hurry we could probably make it before it starts up again because I believe the storm has stopped for now."

Hazel nodded and holding her shawl close to her body she allowed herself to be let out of Brandyhall. She smiled to herself, thinking of another time not too long ago when Frodo had escorted her home and what had happened then too.

Frodo offered her his arm, and she gladly took it and they stepped out into the storm. The journey from Brandyhall to her own home was a farther distance than the one that they had taken earlier from her father's inn to her home. This thought made Hazel feel jumpy and warm inside. It only meant more time to be spent with Frodo.

Different thoughts were going through Frodo's own mind. He was going over the plan that he was now concocting as they went along. It felt nice to just walk in the night with Hazel holding on to his arm warmly. It felt so right. He kept on rehearsing the words and the actions that he was going to try to say to her as they made their way through the different paths which were all empty.

"Frodo, where are we going? You're taking the long way to my house."

:"I want to do something before we get there." Was his only reply as he kept on leading her, his mind fixed and determined.

Hazel looked at him puzzled wondering what he meant by that. It wasn't until they arrived there that she realized where they really were. He had led her right to the top of the Knoll the very place where they had been standing only a week ago. Hazel's breath quickened and her heart began to beat even faster as she realized he was stopping here sitting on the log where she would normally sit to do her paintings.

_There you see her_

_Sitting there across the way_

_She don't got a lot to say_

_But there's something about her_

_And you don't know why_

_But you're dying to try_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

"Frodo what are you"

"Pretend like this is last week. Pretend that the times were not messed up and that you made it here on time. What would you have done once you were up here?"

_Yes, you want her_

_Look at her, you know you do_

_Possible she wants you too_

_There is one way to ask her_

_It don't take a word_

_Not a single word_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

His face was determined and he looked a bit nervous as he said this to her. Hazel couldn't speak she wasn't sure what he was trying to get at.

"Frodo I "

"Just pretend please", he pleaded and he sat down looking off into the distance. Hazel saw that she had no other choice but to play along this weird game.

_Sha la la la la la_

_My oh my_

_Look like the boy too shy_

_Ain't gonna kiss the girl_

_Sha la la la la la_

_Ain't that sad?_

_Ain't it a shame?_

_Too bad, he gonna miss the girl_

"Erm, hello Frodo", she almost whispered.

Frodo turned to face her his eyes were reflecting the whiteness of the snow around them.

"Hello" he answered curtly. She noticed that he had swallowed hard after he said this.

"Erm, what did you want?"

At that he stood up and faced her. Hazel gasped a bit surprised at his sudden movement.

_Now's your moment_

_Floating in a blue lagoon_

_Boy you better do it soon_

_No time will be better_

_She don't say a word_

_And she won't say a word_

_Until you kiss the girl_

"I wanted to spend my last night here in Buckland with you, and only you" He choked out the words.

Hazel stared at him. Her eyes wide and her hear beating to the point that she felt sure everyone else could here it.

_Sha la la la la la_

_Don't be scared_

_You got the mood prepared_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

"Oh, and why is that" she almost whispered. Looking down away from his eyes which were staring intently into hers.

_Sha la la la la la_

_Don't stop now_

_Don't try to hide it how_

_You want to kiss the girl_

"Because I thought that well it will probably be a…long time before I ever get to see you again. And I guess you could say the last time I left you we didn't leave off on such a good note. So this time I wanted to make sure that we did."

Frodo said all of this in one breath it seemed.

_Sha la la la la la_

_Float along_

_And listen to the song_

_The song say kiss the girl_

This wasn't exactly the answer she was expecting. "Did what?" She questioned again. Her voice barely above a whisper.

_Sha la la la la_

_The music play_

_Do what the music say_

_You got to kiss the girl_

Frodo was struggling inside him. He was all too well aware that she was slowly edging closer to her. He gulped.

_You've got to kiss the girl_

_You wanna kiss the girl_

"Got off on a better note", he whispered. Their noses were now almost touching. "Do it now come on now is the best time." A voice inside his head screamed.

_You've gotta kiss the girl_

_Go on and kiss the girl_

He drew closer to her stopping barely a centimeter away from her lips. "Is that okay?" He asked nervously his whole body tense.

She smiled and then she moved forward that small distance.

It was like magic their lips touched into a sweet kiss. At her touch he kissed her gently and drew back a bit, hesitant not sure exactly how to do this. She smiled and came towards him her lips touching his once more.

As she kissed him back Frodo felt courage and passion welling up inside him. He closed his eyes and began to kiss more passionately than he had done before. The sensation of the kiss was causing his whole body to be on fire. He began to stroke her hair. She placed her arms around his neck and kissed him back with the same passion and courage.

He drew back for air and stared at her. He couldn't believe what was happening to him. What had just happened to him, he felt light like he could take off into the sky and go soaring to the farthest reached of the world.

He smiled at her and placed his hand on her cheek. She was smiling back at him blushing furiously.

As if on cue the snow began to fall around them.


End file.
